Worth Nothing
by Venka le fay
Summary: 2012 AU Yaoi story. People who have read my fics know this fic has been rewritten at least a few times now. But now I feel it has evolved into a place where it actually works for me. Donnie is a homeless kid on the run from his guardian "The Shredder". Can the group of friends that he has come to make save him falling into the Shredder's clutches once again?
1. Chapter 1

Worth Nothing

This is my first attempt at a Yaoi AU. Feedback appreciated.

I don't own the Ninja Turtles in any form.

* * *

Donatello stretched as he sat up, letting out a cough as he breathed in some of the dusty motes that permeated his subterranean hovel. Slipping out of his sleeping bag he got dressed by putting on some white spandex leggings over which he put on a ratty pair of jeans and a tattered purple shirt.

Glancing at himself in a broken mirror he had found at the local dump he noted that his scruffy mouse-brown hair had grown rather long in the past three months. He debated getting his hair cut, but decided against it. He didn't want to risk catching the attention of Child Protective Services, or worse recognized by anyone associated with 'him'.

While the past three months had been hard, they were nothing compared to the hell he had escaped from. And he was determined to leave it all behind him, no matter what it took. In a few years he would be 18 so he wouldn't be subjected to the foster care system. All he needed to do was endure a couple years of high school, earn a scholarship, and then go to any school as far away from New York City as he could possibly go.

Shrugging, he tied his hair into a low ponytail, though that did give something for someone to grab on to. Perhaps if he managed to find a knife or a pair of scissors somewhere he could shorten it. Packing up his school bag he left the derelict subway car he had made into his home and rushed up to the surface. Moving aside a plywood board he glanced around to make sure no one saw him. One of the last things he needed was the authorities on his case about being a squatter. While jail would be somewhat better than the streets, the streets were better than being back with 'him'. The world didn't understand or care and he doubted anyone ever would. The only way he could escape his life for good and all was to gain the means to live his own life. And one way to start was by attending the local community high school.

* * *

"Hey guys, did you check out the latest Chris Bradford movie?" A blue eyed kid dressed in an orange shirt and a pair of cut-off jeans rushed up to two other boys of the same age."

The boy was short for his age making him look more like he was twelve; the freckles dusting his face didn't help with that either. The mop of fluffy white-gold hair framed his face in a way that made him resemble a cherub who had joined a boy band.

The blond boy's companions, however, couldn't have been more mismatched. The elder of the two had shoulder length black hair, an athletic build, and was dressed in a pair of pressed black slacks and a blue turtleneck. The second boy, however, looked rougher in appearance. He was dressed in a pair of black jeans with a red sleeveless muscle shirt and a golden-tan zip-up sweatshirt, each hand sporting black fingerless biker gloves. His hair was a fiery orange mane, while a cold stoniness resided in his emerald green eyes.

"Yes, Mikey," the preppy one replied with streigned patience. "We saw it yesterday… And last week when it came out."

"Yeah, wasn't it great?!" the freckled one excitedly gushed. "I wish he taught at our school; he and I have so much in common. I'm a martial artist, he's a martial artist, it's a friendship made by destiny."

"Great isn't exactly how I would describe that film…though it is better than that hokey 'Space Heroes' movie that I had to suffer through last month," the fiery one grumbled earning him a sour look from his dark-haired companion. "And I highly doubt Chris Bradford would ever want to be your friend even if he did take up a job at this dump of a school. I don't even want to be friends with you and I'm an unfortunate relation."

"Hey, I'm a cool guy, Raph," Freckles retaliated. "I'm sure Rad Brad would be happy to be friends with me, he's already friends with me on 'Myface' and he lets me follow him on 'Snaptweet', and 'Instagadge'."

"That doesn't mean he's really your friend, Mikey," Leonardo chided. "I'm 'MyFace Friends' with several members of the 'Space Heroes cast' cast, but they aren't actually my friends."

"Aren't you the president of the 'Captain Ryan fan club', Leo?" Raph pointedly asked. "Don't you think that would get you some recognition? But, oh, wait...that's right, you're also the only member because no one actually likes that stupid show."

"Dudes," Mikey smirked, "I bet you a week's worth of Murakami's pizza gyoza, that anyone would become friends with me."

"Alright then," Raph scoffed and eyed the high school foyer, trying to see someone who would be a worthy challenge, his hard green eyes landing on a lone boy with longish, mouse-brown hair who was walking into the school building. The boy was dressed in a tattered purple hooded sweatshirt and ragged jeans. He noticed the unknown made no eye contact with anyone as he walked, keeping his face turned to the floor.

"Make friends with that guy," Raph challenged as he pointed a thumb towards the brown-haired boy. "He really looks like he really wants the 'Mikey Treatment'.

"Watch and see," Mikey answered and began to follow the unknown boy.

* * *

With the exception of a few people scattered throughout the hallway, there was no one else aside from the brown-haired boy. Mikey casually observed as the boy stopped at one of the lockers. Looking at a slip of paper he had in his hand the boy confirmed this locker was his and began to try and open it, but was met with some difficulty.

~Time for Dr. Mike-enstine to do a little friendly maintenance,~ Mikey smirked as he approached.

Donatello rattled the latch to the locker. He was certain he had put in the combination correctly. Resetting the tumblers he tried again, hearing a satisfying click with each rotation only for the latch to refuse to lift.

"Allow me," a voice said before a blond-haired kid stepped in front of him. Cracking his knuckles, he banged twice on the metal locker door, then lifted up the latch to allow it to swing open with ease.

"Um…thanks," Donnie answered, not really certain about the blond boy that just helped him.

"Hey, it's what I do," the boy responded with an impish grin. "I had this one my Freshman year, so I just needed to use a little my awesome 'Miketastic' magic to convince it to open up. The name's Michelangelo—Mikey to my friends... what's yours?"

"Don….Donatello," the brown-haired boy said.

"Wow, great to meet ya,Donnie," Mikey beamed. "I think I'm going to have fun, having you for a friend."

~When did I say anything about us being friends?~ Donatello thought as Mikey continued to grin at him like a puppy awaiting a treat.

"So what's your first class today?" Mikey asked. Donnie glanced at the scantron he held in his hand a moment.

"I have English Lit in about ten minutes," Donnie answered.

"Awesome," Mikey animatedly stated. "My friend Leo is in that class. I know you'd like him. And if you have gym this afternoon, then you'd probably see my cousin Raph. Don't let his mean looks fool you, he's actually a nice guy once you get to know him. Oh, and Casey as well...he's Raph's boyfriend...um, you aren't offended by dudes who like dudes, are you?"

Donatello just gave a noncommittal shrug at Mikey's question. "Well, I need to get to class," he said before he turned and traveled down the hall without a second glance. Mikey sighed, feeling this meeting could have gone a bit better.

"Looks like he was really eager to be your friend, Mikey," Raph chuckled sarcastically as he came up behind his cousin. "He was so excited he forgot to ask for your phone number. I guess that's a week's worth of pizza gyoza you owe me!"

"Come on, man," Mikey protested. "Friendships like this don't happen in five minutes. The bet was that he would want to become my friend, not that he would be my friend by the end of the day."

"Guys," Leo cautioned, "you really shouldn't be making bets on who will become friends with you, that can backfire."

"Backfire?" Mikey snorted. "If someone was taking bets on me, I'd be flattered."

"I'm serious, Mikey!" The dark-haired boy scolded. "If you try to make friends with someone as part of a bet, it will come back to bite you."

"Don't you have a class to get to, Leo?" Raph smirked at his companion. "You don't want to ruin your perfect attendance record by being late on the first day."

* * *

Entering the English Literature class, Leonardo noticed the brown-haired boy that Mikey had tried talking to earlier. Right now he was seemingly being ignored by the other students in the classroom, though some did glance over at him and snigger to one another.

"Man, what sort of guy has eyelashes that long?" one boy jeered. "They make him look girly."

"Maybe he's a tranny," a female student suggested. The brown-haired boy sat, quietly trying to ignore the whispered taunts, but it was clear that they were bothering him.

"Mind if I sit here?" Leonardo asked the brown-haired boy, gesturing towards the empty desk next to him. The boy in response looked up at Leo in surprise as though he hadn't expected anyone would want to even be near him. Leo couldn't help but notice how beautiful the boy before him was. He had large, almost almond-shaped eyes, that were such a rich reddish-brown they seemed to stand out against his alabaster complexion. He also had long eyelashes that also made his appearance appear feminine and his two front teeth appeared to have a noticeable but charming gap between them. There was also something oddly vulnerable about him that Leo just couldn't place.

"Sure," Donnie answered, feeling self-conscious as the elegant creature took the seat beside him. The dark-haired, blue-eyed boy looked like something he'd never be. With his torn clothes and scrawny form, Donnie felt he looked like something that crawled out from under a rock. He couldn't understand why anyone like this handsome Adonis would want to be in the same room with him.

"Okay, everyone, when I call your name please stand up and introduce yourselves," the teacher instructed as he entered the room. Donatello continued to sit quietly, not paying any attention to anyone. He wasn't one of them, he was worthless…these kids had homes, families, people who cared. The elegant looking boy stood up when the name Leonardo was called.

"I'm Leonardo," the boy answered proudly. "My father is the head instructor at the Hamato Dojo. My hobbies include fencing, drawing, and nature appreciation." A few students snickered and/or whispered to one another as Leo sat down.

"Moving on…Donatello..." the teacher called out. No one appeared to move, the teacher glanced over the class as though trying to match a face to the name. "Donatello..." the teacher called again. Donnie slowly got to his feet. He felt like he stood naked before the room, all eyes staring at him.

"I'm Donatello." The boy answered in hardly more than a whisper.

"Speak up, young man," the teacher commanded.

"I'm…Donatello." Donnie said louder. "And that's all there is." He then sat down without another word.

"And is that all you have to say?" the teacher asked raising an eyebrow. "Surely there is something special you wish to share with the class?"

"Yeah, like where you get your crappy clothes from," one student rudely snarked, earning a few laughs.

"Or why your teeth make you look like you fell off the turnip truck," said someone jeered.

"Or why you look like you are in need of a haircut," another student brayed. Leo, however, was becoming incensed by the cruel commentary. Before he realized what he was doing, the dark-haired boy got to his feet. His deep ocean-blue eyes blazed as he glared at the other students around him.

"Sit down, Leonardo, we are moving on," The teacher commanded as he jotted down a note and continued to take role. Donnie didn't know what the teacher had written, but it didn't take many guesses for him to know it was something along the lines of "problematic."

* * *

When class was over Donnie made sure he was the last one to leave the room. He was going to have to endure the same treatment in every one of his classes, but he didn't want to have to deal with that in the halls of the school. As he exited the classroom he saw Leo standing close to the door as if waiting for him.

"Are you alright?" Leo asked as he approached. Donnie was taken aback by this. Did he just hear this person ask if he was alright? He didn't want to believe it; it had to be a trick.

"I'm fine," Donnie tersely answered. ~Don't get attached. Attachments only make it hurt more.~

"I hope so," Leo stated. "I can't stand it when people are rude to others like that." Donnie blinked in surprise at this comment, but said nothing in response.

"What class do you have next?"

"Math," Donnie answered "followed by World History."

"Ah, so we will be in the same class again," Leo smiled. Donnie inwardly groaned; it wasn't that he didn't like being in the same class with Leo... It was just that the dark-haired boy looked too perfect, everything about him was perfect. The way he walked, the way he talked, the way he dressed. The beautiful creature that walked the halls beside him was everything he was not. It was like being in the presence of a god.

"I guess I'll see you during history?" Leo queried, as he stopped in front of the art room.

"I guess," Donnie mumbled, before walking off. Leo watched the scrawny brown-haired boy with some concern. Never before had he met someone so guarded and at the same time so vulnerable. The boy carried himself as though he was fragile, but at the same time there was an air that made him seem as though he was worth nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Chapter 2

"Prepare to pay for Pizza Gyoza for a whole week, Raph," Mikey stated as he sat with Leo, April, and Raph a week later. "I'm telling ya dudes, Donnie and I will be buds in the very near future."

"What's going on?" A red-haired girl asked in concern as she joined them. Leo sighed in frustration before he spoke.

"Mikey bet a weeks worth of pizza gyoza that he could become friends with anyone," He explained. "So Raph picked Donatello out of a crowd and told Mikey to make friends with him."

"You both should be ashamed of yourselves!" The Red-head admonished. "I can't believe you would do something so heartless."

"What's the big deal, April?" Mikey said.

"The big deal is that you are making bets on whether you can be friends with someone," April scolded. "What if he becomes your friend, then overhears that you were only friends with him because of a bet? If it were me...I would not be able to trust any sort of relationship I had with you, because I wouldn't know if it was genuine or out of personal gain."

"She's right guys." Leo agreed. "Do yourselves a favor and drop this bet right now. It would save a lot of grief both for Donnie and for you."

"Come on, Leo." Mikey begged not wanting to give up the bet of a weeks worth of Pizza Gyoza.

"I mean it, MIkey!" Leo barked. "I have two classes with Donnie, and from what I've seen...it's like doesn't know who to trust. No, it more that he wants to trust others, but he's been so hurt by people that he doesn't know how to trust anyone anymore. Betting on him being friends with either of you is only going to just make that worse."

"I guess I never looked at it that way." Raph said looking down at his lunch. "Alright, Mikey...lets change the bet to you getting a passing grade on your first math final."

"Alright your on!" Mikey grinned glad to at least have some continued competition with his cousin.

"Hey ya Raphy-baby." A dark haired greeted as he joined his boyfriend and his companions.

"Hey," Raph greeted "Say, Case...remember Donnie from our Gym class.

"Ya mean that really skinny kid..." Casey responded "Long mousy hair...keeps to himself."

"Yeah that's him." Mikey said.

"What about him?" Casey asked curiously.

"Leo, here is worried about him." Raph commented.

"I'm not worried about him…" Leo flusteredly defended though a rosey blush crossed his cheeks despite this. "I just get this impression that there is something about him that has been wounded in the worst ways imaginable. Ways that no person ever should be."

"Yeah, the guy, pretty messed up," Casey explained "He normally goes to change clothes in the toilets, thanks to what Fong and his boys were saying when he walked in on the first day."

"What sort of things?" Leo asked curiously.

"When he walked into the boys locker room the first day of school," Raph answered. "Fong catches sight of him and then comments that it looked like one of the girls wandered in by mistake. And then Sid said he didn't believe that a mistake had been made and "She" actually walked into the right one."

"He also makes use of the locker room showers after school." Casey added. "I saw him there the other day when I had been running late for hockey practice. I had just ducked into the locker room to change into my gear. That's when I saw him. Oh man, is there a word for morbidly skinny?"

"Emaciated…" Leo supplied.

"Yeah, that." Casey continued. "I could see his rib cage and everything. There was this was this nasty looking scar like right here." To demonstrate where the scars location was he placed a hand on Raph's left hand side roughly close to where the thoracic and lumbar curve of his spine joined. "And the real kicker is that it's not even new, it looks like something that he may have had for a long while. Then there was a burn mark on his right shoulder. " Casey pulled out a pen from his book bag, taking a napkin out of the tables dispenser he drew a circle with three slash marks through it. "It looked like this...I don't know about the scar, but this burn mark was definitely deliberate."

"Speaking of Donnie" Raph commented as he pointed to the lunch line where Donatello was waiting to purchase a small red apple. Once the brown haired boy had purchased his piece of fruit he sat at a lone table and began to read one of his school issued textbooks. Unfortunately that is the moment when the three Purple Dragons entered the room. Fong, Tsui, and Sid.

Fong scanned the room when his eyes landed on the table where Donnie was sitting and pointed towards it. The three senior boys were notorious around the school as bullies. And from the look of things they were aiming to start some trouble. At once Leo got up and started to head towards the table where Donnie was sitting.

* * *

Donnie glanced up when a fist landed on the table top. Standing before him were Three upperclassmen from his gym clas. Fong smirked at hi with a predatory look that just said he found some fresh meat.

"Well well well," Fong said with a smirk. "Look at what we have here, somebody that doesn't know the school rules yet."

"Yeah a somebody that don't know the rules." Tsui answered as if agreeing with the joke.

"Rule #1." Fong continued "This here…this is our table."

"Sorry…" Donnie answered softly as he closed his book. Grabbing his apple and his bag, started to get up to find another empty table. However this reaction only made Fong smirk with amusement.

"What about the rent for use of the table?" Fong asked showing off the purple Chinese dragon winding up his arm for emphasis. "This table is the property of the Purple Dragons and we demand a toll from anyone that sits here." Donnie glanced around the room confused. All the others were sitting and enjoying their lunches, those who were with in earshot or watching distance of the four boys were keeping their heads down and focuses on their lunches. But one thing was clear, none of them were paying the Purple Dragons anything?

"You charge rent for just this table...? " Donnie asked.

"We own all the tables in this room." Sid snarled. "And we can evict whoever we want. So you you better pay up if you know what's good for yah."

"Though we can come up with other ways for you to pay…" Fong hissed as he leaned in closer forcing Donnie to back up against the table in fright as the older boy licked his lips seductively. "It shouldn't be any sort of problem for you...after all.."

"Is something going on?" A security guard demanded as he approached the group.

"Yeah, my boys and I were just telling our friend here a funny joke." Fong said trying to be the picture of innocence. Unfortunately for him, the guard was not a gullible sort.

"That's strange...because your "friend" doesn't seem to be finding it funny," the guard growled "It looked more to me that you three were ganging up on him."

"What...no never." Fong responded.

"Oh there you are." Leo said as he came up lightly grabbing Donnie by the arm and leading him to the table where his friends were sitting. "You said you were going to help me edit that 'Space Heroes' fanfic I wrote." Donnie stiffened at the touch but didn't object to being pulled away from the table.

"Don't let me catch you harassing any students again!" The security guard growled. Fong however was done listening as he watched the two boys head towards a table in the back of the cafeteria. He smirked in self satisfaction. He still had some leverage over the brown-haired boy that he planned to use soon enough.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey Donnie." Mikey greeted happily.

"Uh…hi." Donnie answered not really sure if he felt much better about being with this group especially since he noticed Raph and Casey sitting with them. He knew Mikey, April, and Leo were nice to him…at least they were nice right now. Raph and Casey he wasn't so sure about, they didn't feel threatening to him like Fong and his friends. But he was still wary of them.

"Welcome to the cool kids table." Mikey said.

"Seriously, don't call it that." Raph groused as he popped open the tab on a can of cola. "You make it sound like were still in elementary school.

"So how have you been enjoying the rest of your classes?" Leo asked as Donnie settled at the table.

"They're okay." Donnie self-consciously said.

"Just okay?" Mikey commented. "Seriously man, I've seen you impress the teacher in our Math Class. And having you at the table has certainly helped, normally math just goes in one ear and out the other. But for once I actually feel like I can understand it."

"It's true, I've tried tutoring him…and Casey." April said as she unwrapped a sandwich that was wrapped in brown paper with the word "Whole Grains" stamped on it, revealing a warmed roast beef sandwich oozing with grilled onions, Monterey-jack cheese, and mayo served on a ciabatta roll . She picked one half of the sandwich and took a bite. That was when she noticed that Donnie only had the apple he was eating and nothing else. Both Casey and Raph had homemade chicken salad sandwiches with chips and soda, Mikey had a PB and J, and Leo had a sushi bento he brought from home. While she had a sandwich and a large rice crispy bar.

"Forget your lunch?" She inquired. Donnie looked up from his book somewhat startled by the innocent question.

"No…I just…I'm not really hungry." Donnie answered shyly. April cocked her head in concern sensing an untruth there. Particularly since just minutes before Casey had said Donnie was seriously skinny. The lie in Donnie's words was also betrayed by a gurgling noise that indicated that it needed more than just an apple to make it through the rest of the day.

"Would you like part of my sandwich?" She asked. "I like the custom sandwiches at whole grains, but they're always too big for my tastes." Donnie looked interested, like this was the first offering of sustenance he had had in days, maybe weeks. But he appeared to hesitate as though unsure.

"It's alright." April said as pushed over a napkin containing the greasy sandwich half. "Please I insist." Donnie at once took it, taking a bite his brown eyes seemed to cross in ecstasy as he savored each bite of the nourishment. Leo couldn't help but chuckle at the smile that crossed the normally somber boys face. As lunch period concluded sending each teen to their respective classes, Raph and Casey gave each other a bro hug and secretly a chased kiss before catching up with Leo.

"If I didn't know better man..." Raph said with a smirk. "I'd say you're in love." Leo blushed at that remark, but said nothing.

* * *

Clutching his stomach Donatello entered his underground lair and the old subway car he converted to into his home. Against one wall was an old cardboard box that served as a makeshift desk. The few outfits he had that counted as clothing sat folded and against the other wall along with his rolled up sleeping bag. And towards the back was a small electric kettle. The place wasn't exactly comfortable or warm, but it was home. The closest thing he had to one since leaving 'him'.

Donnie's stomach churned and growled uncomfortably. He had spent history period sequestered in a stall in one of the toilets while the sandwich April had given him continued to disagree with him. The darn thing while tasty had been too greasy and heavy...too heavy. It felt like he was huddled there for over an hour as his bowls vomited into the porcelain bowl below him. And to make matters worse, the headache he had come to school with that morning had not receded.

Realistically he knew he probably should have gone to the school nurse. But she wouldn't have been able to do much without a parent or guardians consent. And that would have led to questions, phone calls, and eventually child protective services which would only send him back to…"him". And that was exactly what he didn't want. So he did the next thing and simply left the high school campus all together. Yes, this meant the deli he had used as a phone number would be called with a notice saying their "Child" didn't show up for one or more classes, but it couldn't be helped.

The derelict train car suddenly spun as he dropped his school bag before he turned and retched outside on the dead tracks, his body shaking as each heave threatened to drop him. When he felt he couldn't could eject anything else from his body, he closed the doors and crawled in gloom to his sleeping bag. He knew he had homework to do...but right now all he wanted to do was rest. Unrolling his sleeping bag he pulled off his shoes fell into a feverish sleep.

* * *

She scanned the street as she pulled out her key set. Shini told her she shouldn't worry so much, but she couldn't help it. She knew 'he' was out there looking for her. All he needed was some way to learn where she was located, or worse yet one of his thugs seeing her. She had done everything she could to change her appearance. Used contact lenses, changed her hairstyle, dyed her hair from black to red, even changed her name from Karai to Miwa. Misami had been helpful with providing fake identification, birth certificates, and such to corroborate her new life. But it always felt like a feeble mask that could fail at any given moment.

Unlocking the front gate of the complex where she lived with her lover, she hastily entered. No one had followed her, but she still refused to drop her guard until she was safe in her apartment. Shutting and locking the door behind her, Karai took off her jacket and hung it up. Adjusting her tank top over her expanding belly she entered the living room to find her lover, Shinigami was curled cat like on the red leather couch in a black satin charmeuse kimono robe watching a film on TV. Her long raven hair cascading along her slender body. Turning off the tv she glanced up seductively and smiled at Karai as she entered the room. Rolling over into a sitting position she stood up and guided Karai to sit down with her.

Just months ago, Karai and a boy had been prisoners of the Shredder. The two attended school to keep up appearances, but below the surface things were far from normal. Karai and the boy didn't talk to anyone, nor did attended school events. On more than one occasion either one or both they would show up with with bruises or various other injuries. The teachers and staff didn't ask or show any concern. Or if they did, there was always a rehearsed response from the two teens. It had taken many months of prodding for Shini to learn the truth of what was going on, from Karai.

When she learned the truth...when she learned what was happening to Karai and to the boy, what they were forced to do to for the Shredder and his friends. What the two of them were forced to do to each other, she knew this had to stop once and for all. At first wanting all this to end, and putting a plan into action were two different things.

They couldn't go to the police, the Shredder was a master manipulator who could twist the story in his favor. And had too many connections that would be more than willing to cover things up. There had to have been compleat irrefutable evidence against him for anything to be done.

Then just five months ago, Karai informed her that she believed she was pregnant. The first sign was that her period was late. She had lied to the Shredder and said that she was having it just so she would be left alone for a week. She even wore tampons which she stained by pricking her fingers several times with a thumbtack in order to keep the ruse going. Soon after she found herself becoming hypersensitive to things around her. Scents or foods that had been pleasant or just never really bothered her, were now disgusting. It was only three weeks after suspecting a possible pregnancy she immediately told Shini she feared this was the case.

The next day at school Shini arrived with a drugstore bought pregnancy test in her book bag. The two girls met just before their first class and ducked into one of the toilets. They had agreed this was the only real time they would have any sort of privacy about this. To Karai's horror the test came out positive...she was pregnant. Several fears passed through her mind of what it could mean for her and for her child. The Shredder didn't have the time and patience for a baby. He wouldn't kill the infant after all he did often tell her that as a girl she was only good for two things...fucking and breeding. But she did know for a fact he would use the baby to control her. She could hear the Shredder now drumming it into her head that her child's well being depended on how well she obeyed him. Much as he had done to her late mother when she had been a child.

She remained as secretive as she could in regards to her pregnancy, though she had a sick feeling the Shredder was aware of it. He had eyes planted throughout the house. Silently praying she miscarried or lost the baby developing inside her. But as each day passed it she knew it would only be a matter of time before her pregnancy could no longer be hidden.

It was two months later that Shinigami pulled Karai aside and told her friend she had a way for her to escape the Shredder. She had arranged with her older brother, Misami to take her on a trip outside of the city. They would take Karai with them so she would be able to have her baby and raise him or her without the Shredder's knowledge.

Karai was hesitant out of fear for what would happen if she tried. She still had nightmares of seeing what was done to her mother the night she had attempted to escape with her in tow. While he didn't threaten them directly, he had made every indication that there would be hell to pay if either of them tried to escape. That was how strong his hold was on the girl and boy.

The Shredder controlled everything they did, everything they wore, everything they ate. The clothing he bought for them had GPS transponder sewn into them so he would know exactly where they were all times. The cellphones he gave them were tapped so he would be able to hear any call they made, and read any text messages. He could even see what they looked up on the internet. He had access to their email accounts, he didn't allow them to buy or download anything unless it was something he approved of.

Occasionally he would buy a treat for them such as a cake or pie or a pizza. But he would forbid them from eating it. Instead it would just sit on the counter and the only thing the teen boy and girl could do was just look at it until it grew stale and moldy, or ants discovered it. If it was eaten the Shredder himself and his associates would eat it while the two teenagers could only watch.

Even the school he chose for them was a much a cage as their home was. The Shredder had purposely chosen a school with a closed campus so they wouldn't be able to escape. All entrances to the campus were guarded to make sure only students and staff could enter the campus grounds. And any students who attempted to leave without authorization were to be carted off to detention. The Shredder had an expectation of them being at the main gate at schools end. He also had an expectation that they would maintain high grades. Though ironically at home he would constantly harangue them about how their studies were a waste of time and that any future they had would be spent on their backs.

When their class had field trips the Shredder would forbid them from attending unless he could come as a chaperone. And when he did he would follow his charges very closely as though he didn't want to let them out of his sight.

There was also the matter of the boy, what would become of him. Even if she managed to escape with Shinigami's help, could she in consciously want freedom while knowing there was another person still suffering under the Shredder's hand. If he was in her place, would he have considered her? Knowing this could be her only chance at freedom, she told Shini that in order for her to agree to this the boy needed to brought into the plan as well.

On the day their plan went into action, during the last period of school, the Shini provided the two of them with a set of clothing for them to wear. For Karai, Shini had offered a v-neck shirt and leggings from her clothing, while Misami gave the boy one of the outfits he no longer wore. Since they couldn't guarantee their shoes and undergarments couldn't be tracked either, the two were given a spare pair of shoes and a clean pair of underwear. At the bell the two of them ducked into the toilets and hurriedly changed out of the clothes the Shredder had tagged and into the borrowed hand-me-downs. Leaving their original clothing in the toilet trash cans and their book bags and cellphones behind as well. Meeting Shini at one of the back exits they blended themselves in with the crowd of leaving students as they walked down the block to where Misami waited. With great elation as well as trepidation the two climbed into the back seat and were borne away to their freedom.

The anxiety was tense for a few moments as the two teens lay flat in the back seat. Fearful that someone would see them, but after five minutes without incident the two sat up and looked about them as though they had long last awakened from a horrible dream.

"You said you were taking us out of the city?" Karai asked Shini.

"Not to far out of the city," Shini said. "For now we'll hide in Long Island, it won't be long before the Shredder has informed the authorities at every single bridge, bus terminal, train station, and airport in the vicinity to look for people matching your descriptions. When things die down and once the little one is born we can decide what should happen next."

"You…your pregnant?!" Donatello asked Karai in surprise.

"Yes," Karai said "I don't know who the father is...it could be the Shredder's...but it also could be Bradfords, Steranko, Zeck, Xever's or even yours. I won't know for sure until it's born, the only thing I am certain of is that I don't want my baby to be subjected to the same life I was."

"What should we do about the boy anyway?" Misami asked "I mean, I know you told me there was a boy. But the apartment and information I was able to compile, was only able to arranged for you and the girl. Not the two of them."

"Leave me in the city." Donnie responded. "It would help throw the Shredder off our trail. This way if one of us is found by him, we won't be able to divulge where the other is located because we won't know ourselves."

"You sure you'll be able to manage on your own?" Shini asked with some concern. She could understand the logic of where Donnie was coming from, but that didn't mean she agreed with it.

"I don't know," Donnie sighed "But any place is better than with him."

"Alright." Misami announced I'm going to let you off by the World Trade Tower. There are numerous homeless communities in the area who can take you in.

"Thanks for the tip," Donnie said. Though there was a tone in his voice that suggested he had no intention of following it. "Karai, at the first opportunity get as far away from this city as you can. Just think of your child and don't look back."

"Take care," Karai responded, though she knew in her heart she was not likely to see him again. As they drove off towards Long Island, Karai gazed out the back window at the mouse haired boy before they turned a corner and he was gone.

Shinigami sighed and lay her chin on Karai's shoulder and affectionately ran a hand over the bulge that had formed on her lovers stomach over the past few months. Wondering what sort of child it was, was it a girl or a boy? Her mind also wondered who the father may have been, was it the child of one of the Shredders associates or the Shredder himself? If that was the case, it would be arguably better that the child never learned their fathers identity. No one needed to know they were the offspring of a monster. But what if the father of the child was...the boy. Shouldn't he known if that was the case. Was he even still alive out there? It had been so long since the night they had left him in the city. And as focused as Karai was in their relationship, Shini knew Donatello still weighed heavily on her lovers mind.

A ghost of a smile crossed Karai's face as she kissed her lover on the temple, appreciating the intimacy between them. The night Karai and Shini moved into their apartment, the two of them celebrated with a large deep dish pizza which gradually to them making love for the first time. Something the two of them had longed to do ever since they had met. At school the two of them would walk down the hall holding hands or give each other chased kisses during moments where they were alone. It was Shini's love for her that truely driven her desire free Karai from the Shredder's oppressive hand. And it was Karai's love for Shini and her worries about the unborn one growing her belly that fueled her desire for freedom.

Their first sexual experience had been rather awkward in the beginning. Karai had always had the lusts of another forced upon her. She had never known what it was like to actually make love to someone. The closest thing she had experienced to that was with the boy as well as the boys and girls that had come before him, but even then there was no actual love involved. It was a different experience entirely to willingly offer your body to another in the sensual dance that was the ultimate form of trust. But Shini had been patient and guided the other girl in this dance until she had courage to take control herself.

Karai could still remember Shini leaning in to softly kiss her. She could still taste the tomato sauce and basil on her lips. Tenderly Karai had leaned taken hold her friends waist as she pressed her ample bosom against hers. Shini's kisses become somewhat harder, not forceful but certainly hungrier as she lightly ran her tongue along the insides of Karai's mouth. The long haired girl's hands traveled down Karai's arms to her the hem of her borrowed shirt.

Karai in turn gasped at the feel of Shinigami's hands touching one of her breasts. The delicate fingers causing the peach buds of flesh that sprouted from them to harden. As thought to give Karai an equal playing field Shinigami also took the black v-neck she was wearing revealing a black lace bra. Each cup was swollen near bursting with the luscious fleshy mounds that served as the raven haired girls chest. Her pale skin making her look almost innocent, though there was a glint her expression that suggested that she was experienced making love to other women. Seductively she reached behind her back and undid the fastenings dropping the garment to the floor.

Sitting down on the mattress that would serve as their bed for the night she presented herself to the other girl. Karai responded in kind becoming more confident as Shini continued to allow her to take the lead. The shorter haired woman's mouth and tongue explored the other girls bust. Taking a firm nipple between her teeth and lightly biting down. Shinigami lets out a gasp of pleasure in response.

"I think I've soaked my thong." She said. Karai could feel herself moisten at the mention of Shini's undergarments becoming wet. But she hesitated...did she really want to go that far. The raven-haired girl grabbed one of Karai's hands lustfully brought it under her black denim mini skirt so that Karai could feel the lacy fabric between her thighs. Just as Shinigami had said her thong was sopping wet with the sap of her womanhood. The heady perfume of her body was like plum blossoms which aroused Karai, her inner folds beginning to become hot in response. Flipping up the other girls skirt,she could see the busty girl was wearing a lacey g-string, a light tangle of pubic hair teased beckoningly out from where it covered her nether regions. Removing the skirt and tossing it to the floor with the rest of their clothes Karai knelt down and trailed kisses down from Shinigami's navel to her crotch. Shini groaned in ecstasy cupping her breast in her hands as she arched her back. Feeling Karai's lips and tongue probe the fabric, tasting her, savoring her. Standing up she pulled down the leggings that she had borrowed from Shini for their escape exposing herself to her lovers eyes.

In response Shinigami sat up her eyes taking in Karai's naked body for the first time. During the throes of pleasure she hadn't taken the time to notice, but now that Karai stood nude before her, she could see the damage the Shredders evil hands had put upon her body. There were various bruises around along her arms and legs, the worst of them nearest her crotch and anal reasons where she had been roughly entered by the Shredder and his friends. There were various cuts and abrasions along her breasts, hips, stomach, and back. Many had formed healed into thin papery scars, but others were fresher, much more recent. On Karai's shoulder was a circle with three slashes through it. A mark of ownership that the Shredder had seared into her flesh with a hot iron brand years ago.

Tears sprang to Shini's eyes at the sight. Wrapping her arms around Karai's waist as though she was about to cry.

"You're hurting," Shini said as she lay her forehead against Karai's currently flat stomach. "They hurt you..." hovering one hand over Karai's groin she added. "They hurt you here most of all."

Her lips kissed the young woman's stomach line in sorrow. Sorrow for Karai and all she had experienced. Grief for the innocent one that was growing in her belly, and loathing for the evil acts that spawned the child to begin with.

"Who knows what he would have done to this little angel?" She softly said.

"I'm free thanks to you, Shini," Karai soothed with a small smile. "I want to believe I will never see him again, and as long as I have my freedom I want to know what it's like to truly love to another. I want to hold on to that memory." Shinigami looked up at her, her eyes wide with shock at what Karai was asking of her.

"You don't know love…" The raven-haired girl said. "You only know sex, you only know how to be dominated. What was done to you isn't love...it was a weapon he could use to hurt you, break you, make you his whore. Making love and making sex are two different experiences, with what you have gone through sex between us would be no different than what he has done. You would become my whore and I yours. I don't want that of you."

"Then teach me Shini," Karai requested as she knelt down taking the other girls hands in hers. One hand going to Shini's knee and resting there. "Teaching me the difference between making love and sex."

"I am teaching you how to make love," Shini said as a tear rolled down her face. "I love you Karai, and it is because I love you that I say we should stop here. It's because I love you that I am telling you that we don't need to go beyond this. "

"I have experience loving sex before," Karai stated hoping that would help her companion realize that she wanted...that she needed to experience the fullest extent of their love making. But as she voiced it she began to realize that Donatello was the the thing that Shini was warning her against. "It was the closest thing I have had to it, that was with Donatello. The two of us at times would be...I would be told….we were...there wasn't any loved involved, but we were both…."

"He was made into a whore for you." Shini said calmly. "Because of that sick-minded man and his friends. Would you have touched him if you weren't forced?" Karai couldn't answer that question. She wanted to instantly say no, to say she wasn't attracted to him. To say he was more like a little brother to her then a lover. But yet, there had been times where she had wanted to hurt him. Times that she had wanted to dominate someone simply because they were there. The moment she had taken his first ever experience with a woman had been such a time. True, it had been at the Shredder's command, but she had been all too willing a participant.

"You see," Shini responded. "He may have understood you were a victim in this too, but you still used sex to cause him pain. There will be sex for us when it is right, but I love you enough to tell you that I don't feel you are ready. Let's enjoy the fact that you and the boy are free, and out of the Shredder's hands. Karai nodded as she curled her naked body beside her lover. They two of them finding comfort and love in each other.

And it was true, the two of them did have sex in time and for Karai it was as though it had been the first. She had cried through the entire event, tears of joy at the experience which were followed by tear of grief over what had been robbed from her.

As the bulge in Karai's stomach continued to expand the sex between the two of them became more and more difficult. Just making room for the baby bump made love sessions feel like a game of Tangler. However, while it did make less room for sex play, it did offer more room for intimacy and that was what Karai had come to enjoy most. To just be close to Shini and feel her body molded against hers like a sexy puzzle piece.

Picking up the remote Karai turned the TV back on so they could finish watching the film together.


	4. Chapter 4

The Shredder scowled into his sake cup, as though trying to scry through the alcoholic liquid. Letting out a frustrated growl he slammed back the small serving of rice wine and held the cup out for another. Obediently a young woman poured him another measure, taking great care not to spill a drop. Another girl massaged the Shredders shouldered, while a nude boy knelt between his legs. The boys head bobbed up and down as he licked and suckled on the Shredder's bulging member through his trousers. Placing a hand on top of the boys head the boy responded by taking the zipper of the Shredder's fly in his teeth and drawing it open before taking the throbbing cock into his mouth.

The Shredder however didn't take pleasure from those servicing him. Their spirits had been broken years ago and no longer held any interest for him. He regarded them about as much as he did the furniture. Placing a hand on the boys sholder, the boy obediently climbed up like a small child climbing onto his father's lap; lowering his back side onto the engorged organ. Again the Shredder hardly felt any pleasure as he felt the boys lithe body rock against his own.

He still remembered the day that Karai and Donatello had escaped from his clutches. He had done everything to drum it into their heads that they couldn't even take a shit without his consent. He forced them to wear clothes he provided for them to let them know there was nowhere they could run where he couldn't find them. He had cameras hidden all over the house to remind them that he had eyes everywhere.

He had expected that the lessons about what would happen if they disobeyed had been well learned. Particularly since there was no secrets they could truly hide from him. Such as Karai faking her period to hide a possible pregnancy. He had seen what she had been doing, but didn't confront her about it. The early stages of a pregnancy are the most at risk for a miscarriage. If there wasn't a baby, there was little point in using it to keep her obedient.

But apparently they had managed to find a blind spot. The day they had vanished he had stood waiting for them as normal, expecting them to obediently come out of the school building. Around him were teenagers being picked up by their parents, or walking home in groups. All of them giving him a wide berth as though sensing he was a threatening presence. But as the crowd thinned, he didn't see either Karai or Donatello exit the School Campus. His GPS told him they were supposedly still in the school. What drew suspicions was that each of them appeared to be two places at once. Before long he was approaching one of the security guards and informed him that his children hadn't left the building and he wished to see what was holding them up. The guard radioed this to the office, and someone went through out the building to check where they were. After nearly twenty minutes, there was no sign of them though there was some mention of the two of them going out of a rear entrance with a girl named Shinigami.

It was the later in the day that a custodian discovered the bookbags of the two of teenagers as well as a set of clothing had been left in the restrooms. This made the Shredder seeth with fury.

"WHEN I FIND THOSE TWO I AM GOING TO BEAT THEM WITH IN AN INCH OF THEIR LIVES, AND THEN I AM HAVING THEM MICROCHIPPED!" He had roared. Bradford, Steranko, Xever, and Zeck had been sent looking all over the city for them. Notices to the child welfare department that Donatello and Karai had runaway from home and to please inform him if they received any word about their whereabouts. Every hospital, every police station, every toll booth, every single conceivable way out of the city was informed to be on the lookout for the two of them.

Unfortunately the two rats had proven difficult to find which only fueled the Shredder's ire all the more. The boy and girl were aware he was looking for them and had successfully avoided his detection for the past several months which was something he grudgingly found commendable. But sooner or later however they would make a fatal mistake and end up exposing themselves to his notice. And once they did he would capture them and make sure they learned what happens if you defied the Shredder.

Karai wasn't his first play thing, nor was Tang Shen before her. His first play thing had been a girl he had met in college. He had made a show of loving her and perhaps he had loved her back then, but he found he loved to dominate more. Charging his companions to have sex with his her and his future girlfriends had felt more lucrative and satisfying then a boring steady 9-5 office job ever did. His friends would give him the nickname of the Shredder due to how he would break his whores. How he would shred any sense of dignity they had. A sobriquet he took as a pimps brand.

The only problem was obtaining people to make into his property and play things. He didn't want use dating sites or social media for his prey. More often than not that consisted of people who would be all too happy to throw themselves at anything with a dick or were far too eager to have their first experience. Consenting partners offered no thrill for him.

He couldn't abduct or lure individuals into his lusts. While it was true that children and teens ran away and disappeared all the time. They still had families, they would be missed, he might be able to get away with one...possibly two. There only needed one person to link him in order for his building prostitution ring to fall. He had seen and followed the cases of various abduction cases where the abducted girls were imprisoned by their tormentors house for years. While most others would have sympathy for the victims, he found himself more often scoffing at the actions of the abductors. Finding flaws in how foolish they were such as holding on to their chosen victims as a trophies, targeting victims through ties to his children or family friendships, holding on to too many victims at once. Planning on collecting multiple victims. All of them foolish individuals who were destined to meet their down fall.

To do this right, he wanted people who wouldn't be missed. Someone that easily could be broken into submission…someone invisible. It was in these musings that he saw one of those tv commercials for Mattress Farm about how they had started a campaign to help children who were in the foster care system.

That was as it...wards of the state were invisible children. There were hundreds of children in foster care, so many that organizations put in place to help them couldn't effectively look after them all. Scores of them fell through the cracks every year. This was the only thing an invisible child was good for. They had no home, no family, no purpose. They lived in a world that didn't want to care for them...that saw them as a burden. While they were useless to the rest of society, he could use them to make a living dealing both in pleasure and in profit. He didn't want his victims to be too young, but still young enough to be molded into what he wanted. Karai had ten years old when he took her for the first time, but had been grooming her since she had been at least seven. So he wanted foster children who were no younger than nine years of age, but no older than the age of fifteen.

He would play a welcoming host to the social worker, present an environment where the foster child will be cared for. But once the social worker was gone he would begin the process of breaking them.

Grabbing the hips of the boy sitting on his lap, he stood before laying them both on the floor, his thrusts becoming more forceful. The boy looked up at him, his eyes blank and impassive. The Shredder rocked his hips harder and harder as he angrily plotted what he would do to the the two runways.

He doubted Karai had given birth yet, but even if she had...that child would suffer for her betrayal. He wouldn't kill the child, but he would make sure she understood that her babies well being all depended on her obedience. And that her child's suffering was only happening because she betrayed them in her desire to protect them. For Shinigami…and anyone else who helped or was harboring the boy and girl. They would suffer his wrath. He would make them suffer greatly for every month that Karai and Donatello were missing. He would make sure they watched every moment of it, listened as those who had the misfortune of helping them cursed the day they ever met. After that...he would dispose of them either by making sure their bodies were never found, or selling them to someone like Vizioso or Hun.

Donatello on the other had...he was damaged goods. The Shredder had found himself beginning to become bored with the boy. Vizioso had expressed a liking to the brown-eyed boy. The same had been true for Hun, Dregg, Tiger Claw, and all of them been in talks about purchasing him when he turned eighteen. But now...that he had escaped! If he had been missing a day or a week...that would have been understandable, maybe even forgivable. After all every whore attempts to escape before they inevitably accepted their fate. But after so many month, none of them were interested any more. Not even that fat slob, Vizioso.

"Who knows who he's been peddling too," Vizioso belched as he slurped down a large bowl of pasta. "Can't risk a slut thats been who knows where, not unless you want to risk a case of the clap."

The Shredder unconsciously placed his hands around the boy's neck. The eyes of the boy writhing beneath him suddenly reacted going wide and wild with fear. His hands tried to pull away the ones crushing his air passage. One of the two serving girls gasped and started forward to stop what was happening, but the other one stopped her and shook her head to indicate there was nothing to be done.

The Shredder didn't see the boy any more, he only saw Donatello's face swimming before his rage filled eyes. If that boy felt he had suffered before, he hadn't even begun to know the meaning of suffering. He would make certain of that. Yes, he would take the brown-eyed brat, screwing him was far from the worst thing he would do. But he would make sure the boy regretted every single moment that he hadn't simply played the role of a good little slut.

The hands that pried at his own, gradually became desperate pawing, then feeble petting before they fell away as the Shredder came within his body. When his breathing had settled he could see Donatello's visage had disappeared revealing the boy once again. The boys eyes were blank once more, but this time with the pall of death. Standing the shredder adjusted himself and zipped up his fly before regarding the two woman.

"Clean up this garbage!" He barked the command at them, then stalked out of the building to his car and drove off into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

Authors Note: Thank you to everyone who has been reading this fic and commented on it. It means a lot to me. The version I will be posting on this will not have any graphic sex scenes. I will have a more Squicky version on my deviantart page for any who are interested.

If anyone would like to discuss my fics with me personally, I am available over skype at Venka dot Lefay Please be sure to indicate that you are a reader or otherwise your contact request will be declined.

* * *

The air steadily grew colder as the fall continued to roll towards winter, October was over and Halloween had arrived. Almost everyone at the table was in costume. Raph was dressed as a vigilante character he called the Nightwatcher, April had dressed as a vampire elf, Leo was of course dressed as Captain Ryan.

Mikey however had showed up dressed head to toe in green spandex except for an orange mask he had tied around his face. His body was covered with an umpires chest plate that he had "borrowed" from the school's baseball team and the cover of one of those turtle shaped sandboxes. He was happily babbling on and on about how he was as a character he saw in a recent dream. The character he saw was himself, but instead of being human he was a mutant turtle and he was trained as a ninja.

"That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard," Raph had scoffed. "A turtle that practices Ninjitsu."

"There were also turtle versions of you, Leo, and Donnie." Mikey commented. "And all of us were brothers. Who knows, maybe there is a universe somewhere where we are all mutant ninja turtle brothers who fight crime and slam back a good slice of pizza."

"That must have been an interesting dream." April said. "Have you thought of writing it down. It sounds like a story that might be worth reading." Donnie was the only one who was not in costume, something Mikey had fussed about. Donnie had told him that he wasn't a fan of the Holiday , which only made Mikey fuss all the more. In reality he did want to participate, but his friends had absolutely no idea about what sort of horror had been until recently. Even now that he was out of the Shredder's grasp he still lived in fear that he would be found and forced back into the existence he had been forced to endure under that man's roof.

He was just biting into his customary apple as continued reread his textbooks as he vaguely listened to the conversations his companions were having around him.

"I never thought I'd prefer seeing you dress up as Lil' Rineo." Raph commented.

"Come on, Dude," Mikey shot back "Do you have any idea how many kids will be dressing as Lil' Rineo? Chris Bradford's 2 Ruff Krew is super popular."

The mention of Bradford caused Donnie to swallow the chunk of the apple wrong causing him to choke. The conversation paused as the other four teens eyed him in concern. Leo slapped a hand on Donnie's back to try and get him to cough up the apple chunk lodged in his esophagus. Donnie gave a hard swallow in ordery fully down the apple, but his throat still felt sore and raw.

April got up and ran away from the table as Donnie coughed a few more times to get his breathing back in order.

"Are you alright?" Leo asked in concern.

"Yeah," Donnie said his voice somewhat scratchy sounding. "I'm...I'm fine. I just swallowed an apple piece too early."

"Uh...huh," Leo answered not entirely convinced. April came running back with a cup full of water and placed it in front of the brown haired boy.

"Thanks April," Donnie said smiling in appreciation before downing the cup of water. It wasn't particularly cold, and pipes gave it a stale metallic flavor, but it was still soothing.

"You sure you're okay?" Leo persisted "I've noticed that you've haven't been looking too good lately." Donnie understood what Leo was suggesting. And he wasn't entirely certain the rawness in his throat was just because of the apple. The tunnels he used as his makeshift home had grown colder as the winter season drew nearer. But because of the chill, he had also been noticing other byproducts of the cold season. His throat had been feeling scratchy as of late, and he also had been feeling rather tired and weak. He refused to dwell on it though, being sick was the last thing he needed right then. If he was absent from school the owner of Grungy's Deli would get calls saying their child had missed classes. Once or twice you can brush off as a mistaken number. But more than that and deli owner Garson Grunge would be at the school demanding to know why they were saying his non-existent kid was missing classes. But if he went to the nurse or a hospital, they wouldn't be able to treat him without the consent of a parent or guardian. He shuddered to think what would happen if Child Protective Services had to be called.

"Are apples really the only thing you eat?" Raph asked "I don't think I've ever seen you eat anything else since the school year began."

"I don't really cook, I've never been very good at it." Donnie lied "And I don't even have the time to even make sandwiches in the morning." He hated lying to his companions. But he couldn't really say that he was actually homeless and actually was living in an abandoned train car under the streets of the city.

"If you want, we can always bring something to share with you." Mikey suggested. "I usually make sandwiches for Raph and Casey, I don't mind making extra."

"Same here," April said. "I can always bring something to share. The other week I brought some crackers and brie with me as part of my lunch and I shared my left overs with my French class."

"Speaking of Casey," Donnie asked noting the familiar presence of the other dark haired boy was absent. "Where is he any way?"

"He's at home." Raph commented. "Got a two day suspension for getting in a fight with Fong and his buddies. The three of them apparently were wanting to gang up on you about something while you were using the gym showers. Casey overheard em and went at them with his hockey stick. And the four of them were taken to the principal's office by campus security. Fong and his two friends were expelled, good-riddens to those jerks I'll say."

"Wait...how did you know I use the gym showers?" Donnie asked incredulously.

"Casey said he saw you," Raph said, though the it wasn't lost on anyone that he deliberately skipped over the circumstances as how Casey came to see him in the shower. Or exactly how many times that may have occurred. Though that didn't bother Donnie as much as realizing that Fong and his thugs were also aware that he used the showers.

As good as it felt for Fong and his friends to be gone from the school. That one day when they had approached him, the older Chinese boy had been indicating that he knew about the pimps brand burned into his shoulder, and would often leer at him whenever he saw him. The brown-haired boy couldn't shake the feeling that they would have more freedom to get what they wanted then they would have if they were still attending the school. But he couldn't base action on supposed possible intent, particularly if it meant revealing aspects of his past that he would rather leave behind forever.

"Since its a weekend," Mikey suggested "Why don't we go to grab some pizza Gyoza at Mirakami's tonight. Then we can go see a movie afterwards."

"I'll...I'll pass," Donnie lied apologetically, "I'm broke at the moment."

"I'd spring for yours," Mikey offered.

"You're broke too, remember," Raph pointed out. "You spent your last allowance on

"We'll work something out," Leo said placing a comforting hand on Donnie's shoulder.

"Okay," Donnie said with a smile.

* * *

"Six orders of the usual, Murakami-San!" Mikey announced as the six teenagers came in and sat down at a table by the wall. Donnie sat between Leo and April, while Mikey sat between the wall and Raph.

"Six orders?" Mirakami responded with some surprise.

"What can I say," Mikey said. "They're so good they make me want to eat them forever."

"We also have a new friend who hasn't had your Pizza Gyoza before." Casey added from where he sat next to Raph.

"Ah," Murakami smiled in their direction. "Any friend of Michelangelo-San is a friend of mine as well." Donnie smiled weakly in response, not really wanting any attention brought to him. That was until he noticed the chef was blind.

"Do my eyes bother you?" The chef asked good naturedly

"Not really," Donnie answered.

"I lost my eyesight to diabetes years ago." Murakami said as he delivered tea to the six teenagers. "It has made things more challenging, but I have learned to use my other senses to help me with my cooking."

"So what movie should we see?" Mikey asked excitedly. "I want to see that "Deadmark" movie, that looked totally badass."

"Isn't that one rated R?" April pointed out, her face scrunching up in uncertainty.

"That's what makes it so awesome!" Mikey crowed.

"That also means we won't be able to see it in theater." Donnie added. "Rated R means no one under 18 admitted without adult."

"There are plenty of other movies out that we could watch." Leo offered "I've heard good things about "Martians of Moondust"."

"Of course you'd like that one," Raph groused. "I want to see a good action or horror flick like "Termination of Insanity" that's a good one."

"No thank you, Raph," April said. "Why don't we go see "Owls of the North", it's fantasy, but it has action and horror elements."

"Any movies you interested in seeing, D?" Mikey inquired.

"I really don't go out to see movies that often." Donnie answered sheepishly. "I guess nothings really peaked my interest."

"Well, if you aren't interested in a movie," Casey offered "There's Wonderhall down the street. I can go for a round of Lazer Tag or Cyber Bowling. Or since it's near Halloween, why not partake in some of the halloween events around the city, such as flashlight tours of the haunted mansions in Manhattan. Or Phantasmic "Gore"ia, now that would be so metal!"

"I'm sorry," Donnie apologized really wanting to wrap things up so he can go back to his makeshift home as soon as possible. "Maybe...maybe tonight wasn't a good idea."

Every time he left his lair it was at the risk of being seen by someone who would recognize his face. While today was a day where everyone would be in disguise. The idea of being in a crowd of people all dressed in costume and becoming the persona they were presenting the world. Many individuals would be brushing up against him, touching him, running their hands over his body as they writhed in a demonic fervor to a heavy metal beat. It all brought up memories that Donnie wished to bury deep into the furthest reaches of his subconscious. The memory of hands roaming over his chest, thighs, and buttocks. Pain as he felt himself being pinned to the ground as his body was abused over, and over, and over again. The pain the same, but different faces behind it. Sometimes the Shredder, sometimes Bradford, other times another of the Shredder's associates. Occasionally it was some guest that he was _forced_ to entertain for the Shredder. The laughter of the people around him as he was repeatedly brought low and humiliated. The sound of the Shredder's voice growling in his ear about how worthless and disgusting he was. How being a whore was the only purpose he had and that was the only thing people would see him.

He couldn't risk his companions learning about what he was. They wouldn't want anything to do with him once they found out. And they wouldn't believe that he wasn't this by choice. There was never a choice...it was always the same refrain over and over again. "No one will ever want you," "You're a whore, it's the only thing you'll ever be" "The world has rejected you, but even rejections have to perform a service. Your service is on your back!"

"Hang on," Casey suggested bringing Donnie out of his self loathing. "Why don't we all go to my place? I have a bitchen home theater, and I got a new video game last week called Dynacell, it's set up for four players."

"Here we go, Pizza Gyoza for six!" Murakami said as he brought their trays and lay them before each of the teenagers. Eagerly five of the six teens started to eat. Donnie gingerly picked up one of the potsticker dumplings with chopsticks and looked at it with uncertainty. He couldn't remember the last time he had ever had Chinese dumplings. But he doubted it they would have smelled like tomato sauce and mozzarella.

"Try it," Mikey encourage "It's the best thing ever." The brown haired boy started to bring the dumpling to his mouth when a very familiar voice reached his ears causing him to drop it in fright.

"Murakami…" A gruff sounding man loudly demanded, his words slurred by his thick Slavic accent. "Two double orders of the Pizza Gyoza to go!"

Donnie didn't turn to look, but his eyes swiveled towards the order counter. His throat felt like it was closing as heart began so hard it felt as though it would burst from his chest. Standing at the counter was Ivan Steranko, an associate of the Shredder. Beside him was a scrawnier African American man that could only have been Anton Zeck.

Donnie hunched forward in his seat letting his long hair obscure his face. Though he found it difficult to stop his teeth from chattering.

"Don't look over here…" the brown-haired boy whimpered to himself as his companions eyed him in concern. "Please, don't look over here... Oh gods, please don't let them look over here..."

Leo eyed Donatello in concern before his eyes traveled over to the two men standing at the counter. He didn't know what Donnie was afraid of but something about those two men was making him seem agitated.

"What's wrong, D?" Mikey asked in concern as he lightly pet Donnie's hair as though trying to comfort a frightened child.

"Oh, so sorry," Murakami stated his voice dripping with distaste. Almost as though he could feel these two men were only there to start trouble, unless he could sense the distress that Donnie was issuing in waves. "My restaurant is closed, come back another time."

"You kiddin me, dog," Zeck scoffed. "This place is open 24/7!"

"I'm all out of ingredients for my Pizza Gyoza," Murakami responded. "Expecting a big shipment tomorrow morning."

"We will be going the nowhere!" The blond Russian balled his fist angrily and smashed it into the counter. A few of the patrons looked up in uncertainty at what was occurring. One couple wisely chose to get up and leave before things got ugly, one of them leaving a few dollars on the table.

"Yeah, man," Zeck said his voice coming out in an annoying pig like squeal. "We are paying customers, it's your job to give US what we are paying for...understand ching-chang?!" Casey had about enough of all this, April in the meantime had gotten her phone out at was dialing 911.

"Casey, sit down," Leo warned his two companions.

"No, Leo...they just crossed a line." Casey growled back before loudly saying. "Ever hear of the right to refuse service?!" The two grunts looked at Casey as though he appeared from out of nowhere. Casey smirked as he strut forward had threw a chummy arm around Murakami's shoulders. "Murakami here, is exercising his right to refuse you guys service. He's told you nicely to leave and come back another time. So, I suggest you do as he says right now."

"Hello Police," April said into her phone loud enough for the two thugs to here. She hadn't selected the make call option, but the gruesome twosome didn't need to know that."There are two thugs at Murakami's 24/7 harassing the chef. Please, come quick."

"Hear that…" Casey smiled self righteously as he showed off his missing front teeth to the two goons. "And everybody here will back up that statement."

"Come on, Big S," Zeck said as the two thugs started for the door. "This place ain't worth dealing with the popos. His pizza gyoza sucks anyway…I've eaten better garbage." Once the two goons were gone there was a unanimous sigh of relief from the restaurants patrons as they returned to their dinners.

"Thank you, for your help." Murakami said.

"Anytime," Casey stated before heading back to his table. Leo, April, and Mikey were trying to get Donnie to settle his nerves down.

"It's alright, D," April said as she ran a maternal hand over the frightened boys back. "They're gone."

"No…no…" Donnie whimpered as though he hadn't heard her. "Not again...never again...ne...never going back to 'him' again."

"Can we have the check please?" Raph called out to Murakami.

"Your dinners are on the house." Murakami called back to them.

"I think spending time at your apartment would be a good idea," Leo stated as he slung one of Donnie's arms over his shoulder. Wrapping one arm around the taller boys skinny frame he pulled him up from his chair and lead him out the door. Donnie's anxiety began to ease as the cold autumn air brushed across his tear streaked face.

"Are you alright?" Mikey asked as he came up beside the distressed boy, "What happened in there?"

"We're going to go to Casey's place." Leo informed Donnie.

"Na….No" Donnie stuttered as he moved away from Leo. He breathed a few moments before he spoke again. "No...I'm...I should go...I feel it's better that we don't associate anymore. It's better for you guys."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Casey asked more than just a little confused about what was going on.

"I'm not someone you want to be friends with," Donnie nearly shouted. "Just save yourselves a lot of grief and just pretend we never met."

"Donnie please," Leo implored " I understand your distressed. We want to help, but we can't understand what's going on unless you tell us. Who were those guys that came in? "

"I want to tell you," Donatello stated his voice hitching with a sob. "I want to tell you so much it kills."

"We are here to listen," April reassured "we can go somewhere where we all can talk."

"You won't want anything to do with me when I tell you." Donnie insisted, "You'll wish you never even met me. It's what 'He' always said"

"Who?" Raph asked. Instead of answering Donnie fearfully backed up a step then another. He looked up with a heart shattering expression on his face. For a second he looked as though he looked as though he would give in and break down then and there.

"I'm sorry," Donnie said as he turned and raced down the street leaving his friends behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

Tears streamed down Donnie face as he ran. He knew what he was leaving behind, but it was for the best. They would only hate him and hurt him if they knew the truth. But if this was truly the best course of action, why did he feel like he was dying inside. Something in his heart told him to turn around and go back. The Shredder was wrong, these people will listen, these people will believe his story.

"Let's just keep this our little secret," He could hear the Shredder voice growl in his mind. "After all, it's not like anyone is going to believe you."

"I know your grandmother's passing was hard for you," the stirn, clipped voice his case worker added to the litany of voices in his head. "But that is no reason to make up such baseless allegations. Particularly towards a man who only has your best interests."

~It's better this way…~ he told himself. ~Even if they did believe me, I'm too disgusting and vile for them to want any involvement with me. And it would only put them and their families in danger. Maybe...maybe you just weren't met to be loved by anyone.~

"You know how your parents died, don't you?" The Shredder taunted in his mind, a self righteous smirk crossing his face. "Oh, no...they didn't die in a car accident, that's just the story people have told you. The real truth is that they died because of you...because they couldn't stand you. They knew you were worthless from the beginning and they went away because they didn't want to be your mommy and daddy anymore. And then you were given to your grandparents, and now they are dead too. Don't you see...everyone who claims they care about you dies. You're a disease, a curse...and no one is ever going to want you."

Donnie didn't stop running until he turned at an alley that lead to the entrance of an abandoned subway portal. Plywood boards had been nailed over the entrance years ago, but that didn't deter homeless people from seeking shelter there every once in a while. Pulling back a loose board it opened up a space that was wide enough for him to slip through. Unfortunately, Donatello had been so upset he failed to notice the three masked figures that had peeled out of the darkness and followed him. Reaching the entrance they skidded to as stop. Pulling off his mask, Fong smirked as he pulled out a smart phone and took a few shots of the portal Donatello had entered.

"Ya know...he is alone…" Sid pointed out as he took his mask off. "We could...after all who's he gonna run too."

"Yeah, we was gonna do that before," Tsui had added. "That is before Jones attacked us."

"Nah…" Fong remarked as he pulled up a few photos of Donatello on his phone. Such as Donnie walking on the school campus, walking down the street, and naked in the gym showers. At this he zoomed in in the hollow circle with the three slash marks in the center. "He's the property of the Shredder, we just report where he's hiding and we can help ourselves to all the ass we want, even his. "

* * *

"Father?" Leonardo asked as he arrived home that evening.

"I'm here, my son." His father's thick Japanese voice called. Obediently Leo walked towards the kitchen of their small apartment where his father was making jasmine tea. "Care for a cup?" The older man asked.

"Oh...sure, I would appreciate it." Leo answered as he sat down at the table. Though his mind was far from interested in tea, instead it was running over Donatello's words from earlier that night.

"Don't look over here…Please, don't look over here... Oh gods, please don't let them look over here..." He remembered Donnie whimpering when those two toughs hard come in. And after they left Donnie's words changed to. "No…no…Not again...never again...ne...never going back to 'him' again." And then the whole thing afterwards where Donnie was telling them they shouldn't be friends anymore because it would be better for them.

~What's wrong, D?~ Leo thought to himself.

"Is something troubling you, my son?" Yoshi asked as he placed a cup of tea before his son before sitting down at the table himself.

"Sort of…" Leo stated not really knowing how to explain the situation to the older man. "There is a boy at my school. Over the past several weeks, my friends and I have befriended him, but tonight when we were at Murakami's these two men walk in. And I don't know why, but something about them freaks him out and after their gone, he says it's better that we aren't friends any longer."

"I see…" Yoshi said as he meditatively stroked his beard.

"What I don't get is" Leo sighed as he picked up his cup of tea and gingerly sipped at the hot, bitter liquid, allowing its soothing warmth to slip down his throat. "I always get this impression that he's crying out for help, but doesn't recognize it when it's offered."

"My son," Yoshi sighed "you can't save every stray kitten you come across."

"But this isn't a stray kitten," Leo said vehemently "This is a boy, I go to school with...this is a boy I think of as a friend. I want to believe that he is a friend."

"Do you know anything about this boy?" Yoshi asked firmly. "Has he told you anything about his family? Have you met his parents?"

"Well no…" Leo sighed "I mean, he doesn't really talk about his home life...but...this evening he mentioned someone. He didn't mentioned them by name, but when he was panicking at the restaurant he said 'Never going back to 'him' again.' And later he said this person had told him that we wouldn't want anything to do with him once we knew."

"That sounds as though he has been abused." Yoshi said.

"But if that's the case," Leo stated. "That's all the more reason my friends and I should help him."

"You should do nothing," Yoshi responded calmly.

"But father…" Leo started to protest, his father however held up his hands to let him explain.

"While your desire to assist this person is admirable," Yoshi continued. "You must do nothing. I believe he is aware you and your companions are only trying to help him. Part of this fear is due to all the control and manipulation that this person has inflicted upon him. And also fear of what this person may do to you and your companions if they find him with you."

"Maybe…" Leo sighed "But I should at least make sure he knows we just want to help him."

"That could do more harm than good." Yoshi again shook his head. "Help to him may just result in more abuse, or feel like abuse in another way."

"Then what should I do?" Leo asked imploringly. "I can't just do nothing."

"One must seek their own salvation," Yoshi responded "and when they desire it, everything will be made clear to them."

* * *

School over the following week was awkward to say the least. Donnie had gone out of his way to avoid the people he had known as friends in every way possible. In classes he had requested to change seats with other students so he wouldn't be sitting anywhere near them.

At lunch he would sit at the small table where he had been sitting just weeks ago. Leo and the others respectfully honored his desires to hold their distance from from them. But they still wished to know and understand why he needed to stay away from them.

"I'm getting worried," April said "I don't know what's going on, but he looks like he could collapse at any given moment. Don't you think we should do something about this? Maybe report it to someone, such as a teacher or the school principal?"

"No…" Leo said even though he was becoming increasingly concerned with how pale and weak Donnie was appearing. His alabaster skin had taken on an almost grey hue to it, and dark rings had formed under his eyes as though he was getting very little sleep. "He doesn't want us near him, we should respect that."

"Hey guys, I'm back!" Casey crowd a he sat down with his companions. April just rolled her eyes in irritation.

"You should be more careful, Jones." She said in irritation. "You know this school has policies about fighting. You are lucky you weren't expelled this time."

"Hey, if you had heard what Fong and his buddies were say'in about Donnie," Casey defended "You would have wanted to knock their fuckin' blocks off too."

"Such as?" Leo asked, the conversation drawing his attention.

"The other day I was walking down that one staircase in the 'C' building," Casey explained. "The one that students don't use, except for maybe the Football team as a public urinal."

"I understand where you are talking about," Leo stated. "What were the Purple Dragons saying about Donnie?"

"Well Fong was commenting that they had enough leverage to essentially to force Donnie to have sex with them and anyone else they wanted. And then said something burn mark on Donnie's shoulder is a pimps brand." Casey continued.

"A pimps brand?" Mikey asked confused about the term.

"Yeah, my dad told me about 'em once," Said Casey "before his ass was hauled off to jail. He told me that a pimps brand is a mark that pimps have put on the prostitutes in their control. This helps other pimps know who they belong too, and also reminds the girl of who controls their life. Most of the time this is done with tattoos."

"Oh man that would be so awesome," Mikey gushed "I could get my own pimps brand, because I own myself...get it."

"But some of the more dangerous ones," Casey continued ignoring Mikey's prattling. "They mark their whores using branding irons."

"So Donnie is a...?" Leo asked his stomach squirmed as though he was going to be sick. That put the brown haired boy in a much different light than before, but it also made him realize what Donnie had been trying to tell them Halloween night.

"No...I'm...I should go...I feel it's better that we don't associate anymore. It's better for you guys."

I'm not someone you want to be friends with, just save yourselves a lot of grief and just pretend we never met."

"I want to tell you, I want to tell you so much it kills."

"But aren't all prostitutes...girls?" Mikey asked

"Most studies about prostitutes have been on females," April explained. "But male prostitution does exist. Most of the time its romanticized in the in media such as gigolos."

"I love Jello!" Mikey exclaimed.

"Not Jello," April stated "Gigolo, that's a young male who his payed to act as an escort, social companion, and will at times offer sexual favors to wealthy older women. But there are men who are trafficked and sold off for sexual favors to both men and women.

"So those men who came into to Murakami's," Raph surmised. "They may have been associated with the person who had been Donnie's pimp. That was why he was freaking out, because he was afraid they would see him and recognize him."

"So he was...he was protecting us," Leo speculated. "He didn't want us to know about his past for fear we would take it the wrong way. But he also feared what would happen if he was found. After all if this person is dangerous enough to use a branding iron, there is no telling what he would if he knew our association."

"So what do we do, Leo?" Mikey asked.

"I hate to say it…" Raph sighed in self-disgust. "I don't think there is anything we can do. This guy could target us, our loved ones, show up and shoot up the school just as a means to punish him."

"Maybe so," Leo commented as he dabbed at this mouth with a napkin. "But I can't just do nothing about this. Yes, staying away might spare us and people we care from this persons radar. And yet, the cycle is not going to end with Donnie regardless of whether he has been recapture or not. There will just be another innocent kid forced into that life, and another after them, and another after that. But if we do something, perhaps we could be able to stop the cycle so that Donatello is the last person this monster preys upon. "

"You can't do this alone, so I'm with ya." Casey volunteered.

"Donnie may not think we should be friends," Mikey stated. "But, he needs all the friends he can get."

"Anyone who preys on others for their own sick pleasure doesn't deserve to call themselves human." April agreed. Everyone's attention turned to Raph who had not volunteered.

"Raph, are you in?" Leo asked. Raph sighed through his nose before he looked up at all of his companions. Then turned his gaze to the lone boy sitting across the room, seemingly invisible to the rest of the student body.

"Do we have a plan?" Raph asked.

"This is what we will do…" Leo said as he gave a smile of appreciation to all of his friends. The five teens leaned in together as they discussed what they should do.


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey boss," Zeck called as he entered the Shredders office with Steranko. "We got a call from some punks saying they know where Donatello is hiding."

"Do they have proof?" Shredder demanded. There had been a few people who had called in about seeing Karai or Donatello or someone matching their description. But every single time it was an image of someone vaguely resembling Karai and/or Donatello, but most of the time there was something off. They were too happy, they were too healthy looking, also he had never disclosed that Karai was pregnant which was a dead give away that they were fakes or photoshopped. Obvious ploys to get the reward.

"Dah...they have the proof." Steranko said showing a group of photos on a tablet computer he held. Taking the tablet the synyster dark-haired man glanced through them. A slow, malicious, smile crossed his face as he recognized the person in the photos. Sure enough, it was Donatello.

"Let them know I want to see them," Shredder responded after a moment. "Then get the van prepared...I have a whore that I need to collect."

* * *

Donnie shuddered as he ducked under the shower. Despite having two temperature valves, it felt like the only temperatures the showers came in was cold and colder. And for a shower it wasn't so much a spray as much as it was low pressure trickle Briefly leaning away from the shower he punched a wall mounted soap dispenser. Instead of the generic candy pink liquid soap that was the standard use of public restrooms, a dusting of powdered soap sifted out. Which he lathered through his long hair though it felt like he was rubbing sand into his scalp. And what was worse the headache that he had been experiencing off and on throughout the past several months was beating in his skull as through it was there to stay.

As Donnie showered, Casey ducked into the boys locker closely followed by Leonardo. The intent of them was to put as GPS tracking bead into the Donnie's book bag and follow him to where he was living. Neither of the two boys liked doing this, but with Donnie avoiding them however possible this was the only way they could get him to a place where they could talk. The two dark haired boys paused when they heard the showers turn off and the sound of Donnie's bare feet padding to the toilets to get some paper towels.

"Now's our chance." Casey said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the small round tracker. They were consciously approaching the brown haired boys book bag. Just feet away they could hear a scrape as the lever was brought down to bring down a length of paper. There was a pause as the other boy painful and wet sounding coughing fit followed by something being spit into the trash. Donnie groaned in discomfort before he began to pull the lever of the towel dispenser once again.

"Wait…" Leo whispered."I don't like the sound of that cough."

"We can deal with it when we follow him home." Casey stated.

"But...were alone," Leo pointed out "perhaps he might be more open to talking to us here." At that moment there was the sound of panicked breathing as though Donnie was beginning to hyperventilate. Standing up Leo rushed in the direction of the toilets. Casey also stood pocketing the tracking bead now that their plan was no longer viable.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa" Leo said in panic before there was as plasticy thud as waste paper hit the floor. "Donnie…" Casey didn't stop to think as he raced to help his friend. Skidding to a stop Donnie was laying on the floor, Leo was kneeling with the brown haired boys head cradled across his lap. Two fingers were pressed to Donnie's throat as he turned worried eyes in Casey's direction.

"What happened?" Casey asked.

"He...he just fainted," Leo answered. "I think something seriously wrong, he's shivering, but he's boiling hot."

"I'll go grab his clothes." Casey shouted as he rushed back to the bench where Donnie's shirt and pants had been draped. Returning Leo at helped the other boy get Donatello dressed again. Donnie stirred slightly, but didn't awaken. Instead he groaned in discomfort before he violently coughed. Each breath coming in painful sounding labored gasps. Casey at once pulled his cell phone from his pocket.

"Hey Raph," He said urgently into the phone. "There's been a change in plans, can you meet us by the gym entrance?"

"How long can you keep him at your place?" Leo asked as the two hoisted the sick boy so that stood supported between them.

"I think a week at most," Casey answered. "Then my landlord will be demanding extra for any new tenants."

"That long?" Leo said in disappointment knowing that it wasn't long enough."It would have to do until we can find a more permanent solution. Or at least until his fever breaks."

* * *

"This is the place." Fong said as he gestured to covered entrance to the abandoned subway portal.

"Easy as eating the cake." Steranko grunted as he stalked forward and ripped the loose plywood board away exposing a sizable hole. Fong and his cronies immediately stepped into the chamber and made their way down the tunnel. At the fork that turned to off to where a group of derelict and abandoned train cars rested the group stopped.

"Search them!" The Shredder commanded. Obediently the group searched each of the cars looking for signs of inhabitants.

"Master Shredder," Bradford yelled out. "He's been keeping a whores nest in this one."

"But there isn't a sign of him." Xever added. "Except for the one Bradford found, the others are untouched and hasn't been for ages. I'd say he left this place at least seven hours ago."

"He's been attending the community high school down the street from here." Sid responded. "But he still woulda been back by now."

"I've seen all I needed." Shredder snarled. "Thank you for your services."

"But," Tsoi asked. "What about the reward? We showed yous where the little slut was hiding, doesn't that entitle us to something?"

"Oh yes," Shredder answered "You do deserve something. Steranko, please give these gentlemen their reward." Three gunshots echoed through the abandoned tunnel, but their sound was silenced by the chorus of overhead traffic.


	8. Chapter 8

Donnie didn't know how long he was unconscious. He just remembered going to get some paper towels to dry himself when he was beset by a wet sounding cough that rattled his chest painfully. He had been feeling this sort of cough through the past several days, he refused to dwell on it though. He couldn't afford to be sick, not now, not ever.

When applying for the school he had needed to provide an address and phone to prove he was actually a resident. Since he had neither, he borrowed the number of Grungy's Deli. The owner Garson Grunge was a well meaning man, though he did have an explosive temper, particularly when he was irritated. And getting calls explaining that his non-existent child was absent was one way to do it.

His home address was also worse since that address was an old tenement building that had been abandoned years ago. It was only a matter of time before the mail delivery began to wonder who was actually living there and how. However, this charade only needed to last until he graduated. With any luck he would have acquired a full ride scholarship, change his identity, and leave the city forever with no fear of the Shredder finding him ever again. That was the dream he hoped for himself, at least. But there was also a part of himself that wondered if he was deluding himself. After all, even through he had escaped the Shredder...there was the constant nagging fear that his tormentor would find him. Even in his dreams the Shredder waited like a demon, feeding on his fear and every waking nightmare.

As consciousness continued to return Donnie was aware he was tucked in on a soft but firm surface. He first thought he was tucked in his sleeping bag back at his train car, but it quickly dawned on him that he didn't recall returning to his train car. He didn't even remember leaving the gym locker room. The last thing he remembered was after his coughing fit and spitting a wad of yellow-greenish gunk into the waste paper basket before once again dispensing a few more sheets of the paper towels. That's when he found himself feeling oddly weak, dizzy, and disoriented. He had rested his head against the wall a moment, hoping that would help but no. His entire body felt like it was sinking into quicksand as every muscle in his body went numb. The last thing he believed he saw was Leo appearing and rushing towards him, then a drifting sensation as everything plunged into black.

The next thing he was aware of was something damp an cool being dabbed against his forehead soothingly. He could hear voices speaking as well, but couldn't place them. He only knew they sounded familiar. There's was a several male voices chattering plus the sound of heavy metal music and several explosive sound effects coming from several feet away.

"Donnie..." A voice, a female voice said softly. Donnie's eyes slowly fluttered open, as he blearily looked about his surroundings. He found himself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. Four heavy looking chains connected black iron girders in the ceiling high above him. The sight brought to mind the "Play Room" in the Shredder's private country estate, causing him to panic. "Donnie…?" The female asked though more as a question. His eyes turned to where the voice had spoken, and found himself gazing into the concerned cerulean-blue eyes of April O'Neil.

He bolted upright into a sitting position, but quickly regretted it as a wave of dizziness passed over him. "Easy" April said soothingly as she gently grabbed hold of his shoulders and guided him back down to the bed.

"Is he waking up over there?" Donnie could hear Casey say as several footsteps approached. The background noise from whatever the the group was playing has reduced.

"You okay, D?" Mikey's face filled Donnie's vision. Leo, Raph, and Casey also approached though more cautiously. April was sitting on mattress beside Donnie, a gray washcloth in her hands.

"What are…? Where am I?" Donnie asked fearfully as he slowly sat up again. Though the effort was exhausting, it was like his body was made of lead and wanted nothing more than to lay flat again. He registered he was laying on top of a futon mattress on what looked like a couple wooden pallets. The makeshift platform suspended by the heavy chains that connected to the ceiling.

"You're in my loft" Casey said proudly. "Nice place, don't you think."

"N...no...this...this can't be happening!" Donnie whimpered to himself as turned his face towards his lap. His hands going to the sides of his head as he curled into a ball. His words coming out ot in a nonsensical string with hardly a breath between each word.

"Donnie," Leo said as he stopped. "I know you feel you need to be apart from us, all of us understand that. We just want to know what's going on."

"You don't…" Donnie said with a shudder, his voice coming out raspy. His breath sounding labored and wheezy as if the effort of inflating his lungs was difficult. "If you knew anything about me, you'd wish that you never met me" April stood up as Leo replaced her, the slight shift causing the hanging bed to swing slightly. Before the dark haired boy could say anything Casey spoke up.

"We know enough about you thanks to Fong," The gap toothed boy answered. "The reason I attacked them was because I overheard him say that mark on your shoulder was a pimps brand and that was all the leverage they needed to get you do do what they wanted." Donnie gasped in horror at that statement. He was shocked that Casey would just casually point out that he was a whore. Heck, if Fong knew what the brand on his shoulder was, did that also mean he knew who the mark represented. Had they contacted 'Him' already?

"Let's rephrase this shall we," Leo said in a tone that indicated that it would be better if Casey stopped talking for the rest of the conversation. "What Casey was meaning to say is that he overheard some inadvertent information from Fong that pertained to you. What we were able to surmise from it was that this person who put that mark on your shoulder, they hurt you…they hurt you in ways no one ever should be. Currently you are on the run from him, and you are worried about what he will do to you if and when he ever found you."

Donnie looked up at the concerned faces standing around him. His eyes wild with fright, but it was clear this assumption was the truth of the matter. The mahogany brown orbs scanned each face around him as though expecting to find hatred, anger, or disgust. But instead he only found...what...pity? Expectation? Maybe they were waiting to hear the full story before he they started calling him out as the worthless trash he was. Even if they didn't he couldn't trust them, he couldn't allow himself to have any attachments to anyone. Anyone he had come to love and trust only wound up dead. He was a curse, a living disease, the only way they could have been safe is if they had done asked and broke all associations. But now...but now they were in danger. If the Shredder caught them with him, they would use them to punish him for running away. Karai had told him the story of what happened to her mother when she had escaped, and he couldn't allow that to happen to these people. And even if the Shredder didn't see them, they would still die unfortunate and untimely deaths because of him. It had happened to his parents, It had happened to his grandfather and later his grandmother, he couldn't let more people die because of him.

"I'll...I'll leave." Donnie said more as a loud whisper then anything. "You'll never have to see my face again."

"And go where?" Raph asked. Of them his expression had been the closest to disgust, Donnie was sure of it.

"Far from here...," Donnie responded. "It's better for everyone if I just left."

"The way you are now?" Casey scoffed. "Dude, with as sick as you are I'm surprised you haven't keeled over dead yet." Donnie winced at the choice of words that Casey had used, April elbowed Casey in irritation as she knelt down and lovingly took one of Donnie's hands into her own. She noted quietly noted that Donnie's flesh was far too warm.

"What we mean is that when Leo and Casey found you," She said taking care to choose her words carefully. "You had blacked out due to illness and…"

"And you're practically a skeleton dude." MIkey interjected.

"This is...this is just a set back" Donnie protested as he lay down once more. His body was too exhausted to hold itself up any longer. "I just need to wait until we graduate."

"And then what?!" Raph demanded. "Graduation it two years away, and given how hot you're temperature was when Casey and Leo brought you here, I doubt you would even make it to this years Thanksgiving if left on your own."

"It's not like I matter anyway…" Donnie sighed rolling over and showing his back to his companions. "If I die, oh well...at least I don't need to worry about being found by him anymore. I'm just worthless."

"Is that what you really believe?!" Leo demanded "Or is that what 'he' made you believe?" Donnie's bleary eyes drifted over his shoulder to the dark-haired boy sitting on the bed with him.

"As long as you exist he will look for you," April added "and yes, in death you might find freedom. But what about the person after you, and the person after them. The fact you escaped him is what worries him, because he knows as long as you are not in his clutches he has no control over you. And when he has no control, there is nothing stopping you from reporting him to someone who could put him away for life."

"I already tried to report him," Donnie sighed morosely "I tried reporting him to my social worker when she came to see how things were fairing. She believed I was making the whole thing up." Leo looked at the floor a moment before turning his attention to Donnie once more.

"I don't want to pressure you into talking about who this guy is or what he's done to you, but it's apparent this situation is more than you can handle alone." He said earnestly "If you tell us about your past and what he's done to you,that should be when you are ready. None of us want to hear about what this man has done, but in order for us to help you we do need to know what he has done."

"Yeah D," Mikey chimed in. "All of us think of you as our friend, and that's what friends do, they help each other."

"You need to trust someone...and all of us are as good as any." April added holding out a glass with some seltzer tablets fizzing inside it. Donnie returned to a sitting position with some help from Leo.

"You can stay with Casey and myself for now." Raph suggested "At least until we can find a more permanent solution."

"Your folks are okay with this?" Donnie asked suspiciously

'What folks?" Casey asked "I'm an emancipated minor."


	9. Chapter 9

It had been an hour since Donnie had drifted off to sleep again. With some reluctance he had drunk the glass of water that April had doctored with Alca tablets. Currently Mikey was keeping watch over him as he slept. In the meantime the other four teenagers sat at the island in the kitchen quietly talking to one another.

"I don't know guys," April sighed. "He is running a fever and I'm starting to wonder if we are in over our heads with this."

"I don't mind him staying," Casey stated. "But I can't say the same for my landlord, and my job at Trader Jacks barely allows me to pay cover rent for myself."

"You're dad's a doctor, right April?" Raph asked suggestively.

"Yes, but he's a psychologist." April responded in a tone that suggested that her father was not someone they could turn to.

"But he still would have had some study in medicine," Raph pointed out.

"Yes," April nodded "but he still would insist on calling emergency or child protective services. While I'm inclined to agree, I feel that would do more harm than good. Donnie mentioned having a social worker which means that whoever his...I don't even want to say... they used the foster care system to gain their victims. There is no telling how many people like Donnie have fallen into his hands."

"So if this guy is Donnie's legal guardian," Casey sighed "That means the system would not be able to help him. I know from experience what sort of hell the foster system is like. "

"But even if we did take Donnie to the hospital," Leo sighed "They would treat him, but there isn't much they can do without the consent of a parent or a legal guardian. Without one Donnie is likely to be reported back to social services and that could very well be putting him back in a similar situation to the one he's running from."

"Let's just focus on getting his temperature down," April pointed out. "A fever can break within as little as a day. However the place he goes to next has to be long term because moving him repeatedly would only stress him out."

* * *

 _The elevator door to the loft burst open revealing the Shredder as well as Bradford, Xever, Steranko, and Zeck. The other teenagers looked up in alarm at the intruders and at once armed themselves with kitchen knives, the stools they sat on, iron skillets, anything within reach._

 _"So this is where you've been hiding!" The Shredder growled in triumph._

 _"Mikey, April," Leo shouted "Get Donnie out of here!"_

 _"Right!" April said and ran do the hanging bed where Donnie was resting. The brown haired boy was awake and trying to scramble out from between the sheets while Mikey was pulling back the sweat dampened bed covers. The chains suspending the platform rattled at the hurried moment._

 _"We need to get him to Casey and Raph's bedroom, we can use the fire escape from there." April quickly whispered as she helped the blond-boy support the sick boys weight. Just feet from them Leo, Casey, and Raph were a defensive wall against the invaders wanting to get their grubby hands onto the their sick friend. The three boys were giving it their all, but against Steranko and Bradford their efforts were crumbling. Xever and Zeck due to their thinner frames and their speed only aided in breaking through the teens defences. Shredder himself stood waiting for the Donatello's protectors to fall so he could claim his prize._

 _April and Mikey made it into the bedroom and locked the door behind them. Briefly setting Donnie on the bed, Mikey and April quickly what heavy furniture they could in front of the door. Throwing open the curtains revealing the single hung window. Flipping the latch to unlock it, it took the combined effort of April and Mikey to convince the stubborn lower panel to lift._

 _"Raph!" Their heads snapped towards the door in alarm as Casey screamed his lovers name._

 _"I'll get D," Mikey hurriedly whispered "Once you're both out, I'll hold them off, you two get to Casey's van and stay low. " April didn't argue as she immediately squeezed through the opening. Leo and Casey grunted and/or cried out out in pain as they also fell._

 _"Bind them up…" Shredded commanded "They will be part of the lesson for my wayward whore. Stop the rest of them before they get away!" The door shuddered as something large slammed against it. With time against them against them Mikey slung Donnie's arm over his shoulders. Wrapping his arm around the taller boys waist, he half dragged half carried Donatello to the window. April assisted as in helping the sick boy though the opening through her eyes kept on the door which was splintering as the thugs on the other side slammed against it. Once the other boy was outside, Mikey pushed down the raised window panel and drew the curtains shut as a ploy to draw attention away from the fleeing boy and girl._

 _"D," April softly said as she helped guide the boy she was holding against her down the fire escape stairs. "I know you feel weak, but please try to stay with me. We'll hide in Casey's van until the coast is clear." Donnie nodded as he made his way down the steps. Reaching the first landing of the escape she eyed the ladder that accordioned down to the street level. It was too risky, if the thugs didn't know they were on the fire escape already, that squeal of the metal frame as it descended would be a dead give away. The dumpster below them however would make noise too, but it was their only option. There was a smashing sound as the door gave way, somewhat muffled disgruntled curses told them that the thugs had encountered the barricade and were trying to get through it._

 _"Donnie, we are going to jump," April said to her companion. "It's just a few feet, but it's our only option." Donnie nodded in understanding before the two of them jumped off the fire escape. Landing on the lid of the dumpster they rolled off just as they heard Mikey scream. Flattening against the wall underneath the fire escape as the window was opened again. Steranko stuck his head out,his single functioning eye scanning for any movement, any sign of the two teenagers._

 _"Nyet...they are the gone!" He grumbled before grunting a few choice swear words in his mother language._

 _"They couldn't have gone far," Xever barked. His Portuguese accent making his words sound more like a seductive hiss. "Let's put this one with the others…"_

 _"We can't risk the van." Donnie rasped._

 _"Hide in the…." April started to say but cut herself off as the Shredder stood at the mouth of the alley as though expecting them._

 _"Surrender quietly," The older man commanded in a tone that strongly said they were in no position to argue. "Or your companions upstairs will die." Donnie didn't want his friends to die, but death was kinder compared to what would happen he did follow the Shredder's demands. The boy didn't surrender, but he didn't resist either. Instead, the adrenaline that had been fueling his illness weakened body gave out as everything went black._

* * *

 _Casey's apartment spun into focus as he woke up. As consciousness returned he found he was laying on the bed in Casey and Raph's room. His clothes were gone and his arms were bound behind his back in a rope harness he remembered being called the Dragonfly Sleeve. He could hear the sound of the chains from the hanging bed in the other room rattling and someone giving off muffled screams._

 _If he was back in the apartment that was not a good sign, that meant the screams he was hearing belonged to one of his companions. Who was it? How many times? He didn't want to know, but yet felt responsible for what was happening. He had brought this upon them. His friends were being ravaged by the Shredders thugs because of him. There was one last scream that was laughed and jeered at by the men in the other room. The Shredder seemed to materialize in the doorway. He said nothing as he regarded the brown-haired boy. Donnie wondered if the older man was waiting for him to speak first. At that moment like something out of a zombie movie the naked bodies of his friends clambered on to the bed. Their hands reaching for him as though seeking flesh, their eyes blank._

 _"Guys…" Donnie coughed as the hands of the bodies crowding over him began pawing him, touching him. Wet tongues tracing over his flesh. "Guy please...what are…?"_

 _"It's fitting that the friends who tried to protect you are the ones will rape you now." The Shredder sneered "They are whores now, just...like...you...and it is you who caused this to happen to them."_

 _"What? No!" Donnie cried his throat burning with pain. He could feel the hands of his friends continued to explore his flesh with their fingers and their mouths._

 _"How does it feel to experience what your friends have felt at the hands of my associates and I?" The Shredder gloated. As he felt the painful intrusion of being entered Donnie could only answer with an anguished cry._

* * *

Four heads shot up at the scream that came from the hanging bed in the lofts sitting room.

"Donnie…?" Mikey asked in concern as he started to pull away the sweat dampened bedding in an attempt to calm down the feverish boy.

"What happened, Mikey?" April asked as the other four teens rushed to see what was the matter.

"Don't know," Mikey answered worriedly. "He just started screaming, and he burning hot."

"Hang on a moment" Raph said as he ran to the bathroom and returned seconds later holding a hand held device. "Casey, Leo, Mikey, hold him down for a minute." The three boys did as requested which caused Donnie some distress. Taking great care Raph placed the small nozzle end into Donnie's ear. The distressed boy attempted to thrash and fuss about the unknown foreign object. Seconds later a triumphant beep announced it had a reading.

"April, we may have to end up calling your dad." Raph sighed as he looked at the digital display on the ear thermometer. "This says he has a fever of 104.5, if his temperature goes up any higher we'll be forced to call 911."

"I understand…" April stated as though she expected this.

"Just run a lukewarm bath that can help," Leo suggested as he started to pull off Donnie's clothing. "It won't break his fever, but it can help calm it. Casey, he will need to borrow some of your clothes. Something loose fitting, it will help him keep him comfortable."

"I'll get the tub started." April volunteered.

"Mikey, place and order for Murakami's." Raph ordered.

"Six orders of pizza gyoza to go, coming right up!" Mikey cheered.

"Seriously Mikey," April chided as she came out of the bathroom, the rushing sound of water flowing into the tub coming from behind her. "With the way you obsess about pizza, you're going to wind up diabetic one of these days."

"Pizza in any form would be too heavy for him anyway." Leo added as both Raph and Leo picked up the brown haired boy and carried him to the bathing room. "Get something like Wonton Soup or Chicken Corn, that should be light enough." Mikey gave some complaints about pizza being perfectly acceptable for a person who was sick, while April got on the phone with her father.

Once in the small tiled room, Raph nudged the door closed with his foot before settling the nude boy on to the floor with his back propped against the door. Donnie shivered in response to his flesh touching the cold tile. Leo in turn shut off the foset before he kicked off his shoes; stripped out of his pants; and climbed into the tub.

"Carefully hand Donnie to me." Leo said as he settled into the semi warm water. Raph didn't question it as he pulled the feverish boy over, carefully lifting him the red haired boy lay Donatello into the tub so that he rested curled against Leo, his head resting against the black haired boy's shoulder. The brown haired boy gave a distressed whine as he felt the water touch his naked body.

"I'll uh…" Raph said feeling awkward as he left the room. "I'll just leave you two...to your bath."

"I've explained the situation as best as I can," April explained. "He says Donnie's illness sounded like it might be pneumonia. And suggests just keeping the person warm and comfortable. He also suggested using aspirin to help with some of the symptoms. He also believes that we should have called 911 from the start"

"That's understandable." Raph sighed as he cast a glance towards the closed bathroom door. "Given his temperature...how skinny he is...he's in bad shape and needs help, more help then we can give. But I also agree with April, calling the hospital about this might make things worse. Donnie needs someplace secured, people he can trust. Maybe if he was more open about what is going on…"

"Things like this can't be forced," Casey pointed out "You saw how he acted when those two assholes came into Murakami's. After we left he starts saying that we shouldn't be friends with him any more. Before he ran off he looked like he did want to say what was going on, but...but couldn't bring himself to do it."

"Maybe that is where you can actually help with things, Casey," Mikey suggested. "You know the system…"

"That is a great idea," April agreed "You've been where Donnie has in that, you know what it's like. That could help him open up about what he's been through if there is someone he can relate to about part of it."

"Maybe…" Casey dubiously answered.

* * *

"Your temperature feels like it's coming down." Leo said softly as he continued to hold Donatello in the bath. The brown-haired boy said nothing in response. He had become more alert, but he was still severally weak and his skin was still clammy to the touch.

The bath water had cooled considerably over the past fifteen minutes. It wasn't uncomfortably cold, but it did lack the warmth from before. Using his foot to flip the drain switch, Leo continued to sit with Donnie cradled against him. He first examined the burn mark on Donnie's right shoulder. A paperish reddish-pink ring with three long slashes that stood out against Donnie's alabaster complexion. A scar that had permanently marred his flesh forming this hideous imperfection. How anyone could be so psychopathic as to harm someone for their own sick pleasure was beyond Leo's understanding.

There were several other marks too...though not as prominent as the pimps brand. Most were bug bites, occasionally a scar or some mark that was done by human hand. Those looked as though the person who had administered them went out of their way to cause as little damage as possible. Then there was the huge ugly scar on Donnie's waist, close to his hipline. It was a huge jagged stripe that almost seemed to cleave the taller boy in two. As the water in the tub receded Leo's hand traced the scar wondering why it looked so different to the other scars on Donnie's body.

"He didn't…" Donnie rasped as though sensing Leo's unasked question. "I got that years ago...in an accident."

"Oh," Leo answered. With the water completely drained from the tub he carefully stood up and climbed out. Donnie didn't give Leo any eye contact, but it was fairly obvious that he was uncomfortable with how close to the dark haired boy he had been. And how exposed he was currently.

Leonardo just dried of his legs and put his trousers back on, before taking off his top and wringing out what water he could. Opening the bathroom door slightly he found a stack of clothing ready for them. Mostly a t-shirt and a pair of flannel pajama bottoms, and an extra shirt. Leo immediately put on one of the two shirts. Taking up a fresh towel he draped it over the other boys nude form. Donnie didn't say or acknowledge Leo in any sort of way, he only wrapped the towel around him as though its covering offered some protection.

"Why are you doing this?" Donnie asked after several uncomfortably quiet minutes.

"Why am I doing what?" Leo replied.

"Why are you doing all this?" Donnie rasped. "Why are you getting my hopes up? What do you have to gain by making me believe you actually care about me?" Leo could feel his heart cracking at those words. Kneeling down he placed a gentle hand on the other boys shoulder.

"I'm doing this because I want to." Leo said firmly, but not unkindly. "I don't know the full story of what happened to you, and I don't want to know. And it's up to you if you decide to tell us about it. No pressure, no judgement. Just know that if any of us are going to actually help you,that is a story we will need to hear."

"If you knew anything about me…" Donnie's started to say, but then broke into a fit of wet sounding coughs.

"Don't talk right now," Leo said as he helped pull Donne out of the tub rubbing the towel over the less private areas of the bone thing body. And then slipped the remaining shirt over Donnie's head to offer him some cover. "Just focus on recovering." The brown haired boy put his arms through the sleeves of the shirt and the pants on gratefully, though he still remained guarded and mistrustful.

"Can you stand up?" Leo asked. Donnie didn't answer, instead he used the tub rim to pull himself to his feet. He started forward one step, and stumbled on the bathmat. Leo caught him before he went crashing into the door and held him steady until the taller boy could get his feet under him again.

* * *

Exiting the bathing room, it was to find the sweat soaked sheets on the hanging bed had been changed and replaced with fresh. Leo made sure the other boy was settled on to the hanging bed as he noticed the take out bag on the counter.

"Can I get you to take a couple of these?" April asked holding out the bottle of aspirin so that he was aware of what he was being given. Donnie gave an apathetic shrug and accepted the pills he was given swallowing them with a mug of lukewarm tea.

"Thank you," Donnie said as he handed the cup back wishing that the companions around him would just leave him alone. Once they were asleep or went home for the night he could slip out and make his way back to his hovel.

No such luck however as the news was turned, the voice of Carlos Chang O'Brian Gambe just white noise in the background. Leo came over with a cup of yellowish liquid in his hands.

"Here, drink this?" He said offering the cup. Donnie recoiled somewhat at the offered substance.

"It's just chicken broth." Leo clarified. "It will help with your cold."

"I...I'm not hungry right now." Donnie said as he started to settle himself under the blankets.

"I understand," Leo insisted "it's just a few mouthfuls." Sighing the sick boy sat up and took the cup of broth and downed it. It didn't taste like much. Mostly the fault of his olfactory receptors being congested. Though he could make out the saltiness of the broth and also a hint of ginger. Satisfied Leo took the cup and left Donnie to relax. That was until…

"In other news, three boys were found dead at an abandoned subway portal...there were reports of shots fired around 3:45 this afternoon." The channel 6 news anchor said. "The identities of the victims have not yet been revealed by the police. Despite the fact this portal had previously been boarded up, a small homeless encampment was found in one of the trains. The connection between the encampment and these boys is still to be determined."

Donnie could hear the tv put on mute as five pairs of eyes turn towards him.


	10. Chapter 10

The silence was so palpable the street noise from outside seemed to be drowned out by it. Donnie threw the bed covers over his head. He couldn't bare to look at their faces, to see the look of disgust at this turn of events.

It didn't take much speculation to know who the three boys were. It was just a matter of the police confirming their identity. It also didn't take many guesses as to who the shooters were. And now that they knew where he had been hiding, what was to stop them from coming to the school. Would they draw guns and fire at innocent students and teachers just to get him? Would they hunt down his companions and hurt them like they had in his fever dream? And what about their families? Certainly they must have had mothers, fathers, maybe siblings out there?

This was why he hadn't wanted to associate with them. It was to protect them, if he had no association to them they wouldn't be targeted. Why couldn't they see that they were in danger by just being anywhere near him. Maybe it would be just simpler to let himself be taken by the Shredder once again, at least then he would know his companions would be left alone.

Footsteps approached the bed and sat down. The person calmingly began running a hand up and down his back. Donnie didn't want to look, he just wished they would throw him out and be done with it. Quit giving him false hope, quit promoting this futile attachment. It was all pain and it would end in pain.

There was talk about him, but he didn't want to listen. He didn't want to hear what they were plotting, it would end in desister. Then finally the elevator doors closed as two of his companions, likely Leo and April left.

Suddenly he felt someone grab hold of him. Bundling him up, blankets and all before he was carried to the elevator doors as well. There was a burst of the cold autumn air and then he found himself lying on a flat surface before a metal door slid closed.

"It's okay, D," Mikey said reassuringly "April's got a place outside the city that we can use, you'll be safe there."

"No….don't do this?" Donnie attempted to warn them. They were disrupting their lives for him? Throwing away their futures just to make sure the Shredder didn't find him? Why would they do this? It just didn't make any sense?

"Packed and ready," Casey said as he climbed in tossing a duffel bag into the back with Mikey and Donnie. "Leo and April will handle things here."

"Why are you…?" Donnie asked his companions "I'm not worth it...I'm not worth all this."

"Relax," Casey said trying offer a well meaning smile, though his two missing front teeth were making him look more like a creep. "We are off all next week because of Thanksgiving, and Casey Jones feels like the vacation should begin a few days early."

"But you're parents…?" Donnie barked out between coughs. "You're families?"

"It's covered," Casey saId. "I don't have any folks, Raph doesn't get along with his...they aren't all that accepting of the "into guys" thing. And Mikey...Raph is pretty much his legal guardian. His mother prefers to go out partying more than being a parent."

"Leo and April will join us this weekend," Raph added as he put the van into gear. "They are just trying to keep an eye on things here."

"But why…" Donnie asked as he settled into the blankets.

"Because we want to." Mikey said. "Just rest, we should be at the place in a few hours."

* * *

"Good evening, Father," Leo saId as he served himself the reheated remains of the wonton soup.

"Good evening, Leonardo." His father said as he entered the kitchen and settled down.

"My friends and I got some soup from Murakami's," Leo invited "Care for any?"

"Certainly, my son." Yoshi responded as he sat down at the kitchen table. Leo placed a steaming bowl of the dumplings in broth before his father before sitting down at the table himself.

"You know that boy...the one I told you about," Leo hesitantly said.

"Yes, what about him." Yoshi responded as he brought one of the dumplings to his mouth.

"Well, I just found out he's homeless," Leo stated in a rush. "He's practically been living in the sewers. So I was wondering if...if he could stay with us." Yoshi put down his spoon and regarded his son for a moment. Leo winced in response, when his father regarded him this way there was often a lecture attached.

"There are services in place for such a thing, Leonardo," Yoshi responded.

"I know that," Leo countered "But these services failed him…and weren't you saying the other day that the dojo could use a helper."

"All the same Leonardo," Yoshi responded "This apartment and the Dojo is our home not a youth hostel. I am not saying the services this country has for at risk children or the homeless are not extremely flawed. But they are there for a reason."

"I should have known," Leo sighed in frustration as he stood up in disgust leaving his soup uneaten. Instead he grabbed his book bag and went to his room.

"Leonardo?" His father asked in concern as he stood up and followed. Leo didn't regard his father as he dumped his books and school supplies onto his bed. He looked about the room his eyes traveling over the Space Heroes Action figures, the Space Heroes posters hanging on the wall, the pictures of him with the Space Heroes cast at the last comic caucus. Even the bedspread and sheets were Space Heroes themed. It all felt so trivial now.

Without looking at his father he rummaged through closet and dresser, pulling out clothing that was bundled up and put in is book bag before zipping it up tight.

Grabbing his phone called up April's phone number. "Hello, April" He said into the speaker, "any luck on your end? Yeah, me neither. Sure, I'll meet you outside."

"Wait, where are you going?" Yoshi asked.

"Away from here." Leo shrugged as he picked up his bag of clothes, pocketed his wallet and phone, and then started for the door.

"What is going on?" His father demanded. Leo angerly rounded on the older man.

"What's going on?!" Leo shouted. "I've told you what's going on, and you refused to do anything! You brushed it off as something for child protective services to handle! But the fact is, the services are as much to blame for Donnie's situation as the monster he was placed with. If being an adult means being heartless and looking the other way when you encounter someone who is a victim of a failed system! Then I rather remain a child!"

"Leonardo…" Yoshi started to say.

"No…" Leo shouted. "I don't want your lectures. I don't want to hear "there are services for this". The truth is….the truth is Donnie is alone, and scared, and doesn't know who to trust or to turn to. He is on the run from a very sick minded man who only hurt him for his own pleasure and has done so to gods know how many others. He forces them to believe that they are worthless and that no one would ever believe anything about what is being done to them. The foster system failed him because this man abused it. And putting him back in the system would only put him back in that man's hands or put him in a similar situation. I had hoped that you would be willing to consider offering him a place to stay. It doesn't need to be permininant...but he needs a home. He needs to be some place he doesn't feel like he is forced to live in fear."

Yoshi sat down on Leonardo's bed as he listened to his son rant to him. When Leo ceased his tirade the older man eyed his son for a time.

"How...how do you know all this is happening to...your friend?" He asked cautiously.

"Because…" Leo said as he calmed down. "On Halloween night, two men came into Murakami's. Donnie apparently knew them and began freaking out and saying things such as "never going back to 'him' again." Then when we left he said that he didn't think we should be friends anymore and that it was better for us if we did not associate. Casey also informed us about catching him in the shower a few months back and he said that Donnie had this brand mark on his right shoulder. A circle with three slash marks.

"A circle? With slash marks?!" Yoshi looked up sharply, his eyes widened with horror as though he had seen this mark before.

"Yes," Leo answered not picking up on the change in tone. Three boys at school also know what that mark means and they were intending on using that knowledge to force Donnie to do things for them. And today on the news, three yet to be identified boys were found dead in the abandoned subway area where Donnie was hiding.

"I also know what that mark means…" Yoshi said, "My son….I think you should sit down. There is something you should know."


	11. Chapter 11

"This is the school, boss." Zeck said as they pulled up in the van.

"Hiding in plain sight," The Shredder said as his eyes passed over the various students entering the school grounds. He didn't expect to see Donatello and felt no disappointment at not seeing any sign of the boy. If he had seen the brown haired boy, then it would be simple to just approach him. He was confident enough in his control over the boy that he wouldn't resist or cause a scene, not unless he wanted even more punishment for escaping. "Let's go, I'll have someone arrange a talk with the school administration."

* * *

Leo couldn't wrap his head around what he learned the previous night. If this was true, then yes this proved that this man...the Shredder had hurt more people besides Donnie. Then that also made it imperative that Donnie never wind up in his clutches again. If he was caught, the Shredder wouldn't just stop at raping and beating the boy. He would kill him, but only after Donnie had been tortured to the point where he was already at death's door.

His father...no Yoshi...no…Leo didn't know anymore. The man who had raised him, had convinced him and by extent April that they were to continue attending classes the rest of the week. They had only four days and then they would be free to travel to the safe house outside the city. But both Yoshi and Kirby had insisted in coming too. They wanted to meet this boy that their children were protecting so they understood who he was in all this.

Neither Leo nor April were surprised, and maybe it was better for Donnie to have a couple of adults he could learn to trust as well. With Kirby being a psychologist, he would be able to offer some counsel. Leo didn't doubt that the damage done to Donnie's psyche would not go away instantly. Nor did he doubt that there was damage that Donnie would never recover from.

What bothered him more was what he felt towards the other boy. Ever since he met Donnie, he had felt infatuated with him. It couldn't be love, because love at first sight was a myth. True love needed to be shaped, it needed to be developed and built over time. He had only known Donnie for the span of a few months and even then what did he actually know about Donnie as a person. He knew Donnie as a victim. He knew Donnie as a classmate, and he wanted to think of Donnie as a friend. But who was Donnie to him really? Just another boy at his school.

It wasn't lust...he didn't have dreams or any sexual fantasies of the brown-haired boy. And even if he did, that would be disservice to Donnie in the face of what he had experienced. But he couldn't help feeling the need to protect the boy. The desire to hold him, sooth away his pain and suffering.

He paused and shuddered as a chill passed through him. He didn't know what, but he could feel a dark presence as he approached the school. A sedan pulled away from the school as though it had finished dropping off a student and started down the street towards him. Leo knew without the doubt this was the man who had been tormenting Donatello, the man who had hurt him and Yoshi. He needed to see this mans face, he needed to see the monster for who he truly was.

As casually as he could glanced as the car drove past. In the passenger seat was a man with graying black hair. His face was stern and determined as he regarded the world around him. He was talking to someone over a smartphone and didn't pay Leo any mind, but that was too close for comfort. If he knew Donnie attended this school, then he was one step closer to capturing the other boy for sure.

Stepping into the closest Starbursts coffee shop, he ordered a steamed almond milk with vanilla syrup and sat down with it. He knew full well he was intentionally skipping his morning English class, he didn't care anymore. If Donatello's tormentor can causally arrive at the school like this today. How far would he go to capture Donatello? He wouldn't show up at the school with guns...at least not to begin with. He will be as benign on this as possible. Maybe send someone like the police or child protective services to look into Donnie's contacts and and his classes, ask the students if they knew anything about where he was. Since all of them had associated with Donnie in the past couple of months this meant they would be asked about what they knew about him.

~This must be why Donnie didn't want us to associate with him…~ Leo thought to himself ~If our involvement was apparent, then we would be targeted as well. Even if we sold Donnie out, they could still target us to make sure we were no longer tied to Donnie. ~ Pulling out his smartphone he texted a notice to April.

" _Just saw the guy who has been terrorizing Donnie. How soon can you leave the school?_ " Leo asked. April didn't reply which meant she was in class. This didn't surprise him as he took a sip of his almond milk. This just meant he had to wait until passing period or a convenient restroom visit before he replied. It was a good twenty minutes before the phaser blast that served as his text alert responded.

" _I can head to the "infamous A-hole" now, where are you?_ " Leo snorted softly to himself. The infamous A-hole was what the students at the community high school called a hole in the chain link fence that next to the A-building. It was an easy exit for hooky and truant students to use since it wasn't monitored by the staff. But it also made it an easy entrance for homeless vagrants and other people to enter the schools ground and trash the place. There had been some talk of fixing it but never any real action towards it.

" _I'm at Starbursts Coffee,_ " Leo texted to April.

" _See you there,_ " April responded.

* * *

Moments later the two of them were in Yoshi's car and driving outside the city. April texted her father to let him know that something has come up and she and Leo would be in touch once they reached their destination.

They mostly traveled in relative silence, April listening to PanTunes on her phone as she watched the countryside go by. Both of them knew they would probably wouldn't hear the end of it from their respective parental figures. But they also knew there was a likelihood they would never see New York again...not for a many years.

Leo however was deep in thought about all Yoshi had told him the previous night. He couldn't believe this was the case, he didn't want this to be true. And if it was true...what about Donnie. He may not want anything to do with him because of it. Maybe Donnie didn't really need to know...after all who was this man to him. But what about his sister...she was a victim of this man as well. Where was she? Was she still there?

"Penny for your thoughts?" April asked as she took her earphones out of her ears and paused the music she was listening to.

"It's nothing…" Leo barked. "Wait...no...it's something my...it's something I learned last night. I'm not sure how to feel about it."

"Were near town, why don't we stop for a bite or some coffee," April said. "If you want to talk about it with someone I'll be happy to listen.

"I don't even know where to begin," Leo sighed feeling somewhat distressed. "I guess you can say Donnie and I are tied closer than we realize."


	12. Chapter 12

The two of them stopped at a Freets Coffee the moment they arrived in town. April had bought a Green Tea latte while Leo bought a steamed almond milk with vanilla syrup. April had texted Raph to let them know they were close and they would explain when they arrived. While the two friends knew they weren't likely to get any real attention from people in town. Neither of them wanted to risk being overheard by a patron of the coffee shop so they took their drinks back to the car so they could talk privately.

While Leo gathered together his thoughts, April checked the voice messages on her phone.

"April, this is your father," The firm but worried voice of Kirby O'Niel said. "Call me as soon as you get this!"

"My dad is going to have kittens about all this." April sighed as she guiltily shut of her phone. She didn't want to worry her father in any way. Still Fong had lead the people hunting Donnie to the school, things were bad. If she ever got back to the city, her father would never let her hear the end of it.

"It's the only way." Leo stated, though it sounded more like he was convincing himself of this as he sipped his steamed almond milk. "We were familiar with Donnie so we would have been questioned about his whereabouts. Even if we could successfully play off that we don't know where he is. It will still suspicious that Raph, Mikey, and Casey are all conveniently absent the sametime Donnie is. So either of us could be tracked or worse our families could be targeted. It order to protect our loved ones we have to get as far away from them and the city as possible. I left a letter stating that you and I were leaving the city and joining our friends. I also said I couldn't explain why we were leaving, but to please understand we weren't leaving without a good reason."

"Your dad will probably let my father know about it when he's done teaching at his Dojo for the day. So what now?" April asked.

"I think we should get rid of our phones somewhere," Leo replied "Smash them, throw them down a well, bury them in the woods, it doesn't matter. If our families are approached by these guys we have to make sure there is nothing connecting them to us."

"But…" April pointed out as she thought about this. "That letter won't be enough. It will just explain that we ran away for a reason, but no explanation. There is likely an APB on the two of us right now."

"Text your father," Leo told her as acquiesced to the situation. "Let him know that some dangerous men had come to the school. We know who they were looking for and why. To throw them off the trail, we needed to get out of the city. If someone comes by asking for our whereabouts, tell them to make something up. That's all you can really tell him."

April did just that. No sooner then when she posted her message, the ringtone for her father went off. With reluctance she answered it, but left it on speaker phone so Leo could add in his two cents as needed.

"April, Sweetie," Her father worriedly said over the phone. There was some relief that he was able to hear from her, but April could still hear the brewing storm of emotion behind his words. "Where are you? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Dad," April responded "I'm with Leo." Her father started to say something but she cut him off before he got the chance. "The text I sent you is all I can say about this situation."

"Who are these men?! Why do the two of you need to leave the city?!" Her father demanded.

"These men are after Donnie," April stated with an air of finality. "They have seriously hurt him, and want to do more. That's all I need to know. Since Leo and I are friends with Donnie, these men would only to target us so they could find out where he is hidden."

"April, this is just one boy," her father protested. "Think of your lives, your futures! How are you going to get jobs? How are you going to make a living? You're just going to throw everything away for a boy you barely known three months. How do you even know this sob story he has is even true?"

"It's true Mr. O'Neil," Leo stated firmly with conviction. "If he was lying about everything he would be a lot more open about everything then he is. On Halloween when we were at Murakami's, two men came into the restaurant to order take out. Donnie recognized them by their voices, and had a sudden panic attack because of it."

"I can vouch for that," April added. "He was sitting between Leo and myself when it happened. After we left the restaurant, D told us that it would be better for us if we didn't associate with him, and distanced himself from us as much as possible. Even the most convincing of con-artists can't act that well."

"Even so…," Mr. O'Neil started to say, but Leo cut him off before he could continue.

"I understand this is something that the authorities need to deal with," Leo resolutely stated. "But these same authorities aren't able to help everyone placed in their care. There are some people who use this system for their own advantage and perverse interests. Donnie's last guardian was one of those people, and when he tried to report what was happening they thought he was making the whole thing up. So in this case the very services who were there to help him failed him when he needed them most. I don't know what we are going to do, but the best thing we can do right now is get Donnie as far away from the city as possible. The fact they found the school is enough to prove they are dangerous."

"Are you saying they are would honestly storm the school with guns?" Mr. O'Neil asked.

"No, dad," April sighed. "They would do something worse, they would try to learn about whoever Donnie has associated with in the school. If they believe anyone of them is harboring him or knows where he's hiding, they would target that student and their families. I don't want you or Leo's father to get hurt by these guys. Leo and I will need to dispose of our phones so we are out of contact. If anyone does call or or say they are looking for us. Tell them something they would believe...such as I've gone to go live in California with my mother."

Leo raised an eyebrow at the suggested excuse, because Mrs. O'Neil had died of breast cancer when April had only been six years old. The subject had always been painful for April to even think about. Leo himself could sympathize since he had never known his mother, and...the man he had always believed was his father had always been the only parental figure in his life. He had asked about his mother only one time in his childhood, but the sad look in his father's eyes told him the subject was still a festering wound.

"Okay, Dad," April said she concluded the call. "I love you too, bye." As soon as she hung up, she blocked her father's number so he wouldn't be able to contact her again. Leo in turn also blocked Yoshi's phone number, he knew his father was probably listening to the conversation with Mr. O'Neil. But that didn't block the feeling of disappointment and anxiety that was probably on the older mans face.

"So you were saying your father told you something last night?" April inquired.

"Yeah…" Leo sighed. "I don't want to get into it before we reach the safe house, but if I was to say that I was connected to these guys that are tormenting Donnie…"

"Leonardo...you're not saying your…" April said as she eyed the dark-haired boy suspiciously.

"I wish I wasn't…." Leo sighed dispondantly. "As I said I rather not go into details before we reunite with Raph and the others." April went quiet and contemplated her phone for while before she spoke.

"Maybe my Dad is right," She said after a while. When Leo started to protest, April immediately held up a hand to allow her the chance to explain. "My Dad is right when he was asking how we intended to survive on our own. With the exception of Casey, all of us are still considered children in the eyes of the country. Food and supplies are going to cost money we don't have. Are we just going to keep running an pray they never find us?"

Leo sighed in frustration. In truth he hadn't thought the whole thing through. His intent was to get Donnie as far away from the Shredder's clutches as possible. And he wanted to get the rest of them out of the Shredder's line of sight as well. But yet he never accounted for what would happen afterward. What they would do to survive? They could hunt, that was one thing that could help. Perhaps raise chickens and do chores at local farms. But that was only good for summer jobs. But what about school, not completing high school would affect what sort of jobs in the future. Even if new identities for them all could be forged, how would they be able to go about this? While the Shredder would likely die sooner or later, how long would he continue chasing after Donnie and/or Karai? How many people would he hurt in the meantime?

"The only way we can stop these guys for good…" April said calmly "Is to expose these monsters for who they are."

"But...Donnie doesn't…" Leo started to say.

"He doesn't want to say anything because he's scared, Leo." April said. "You said it yourself, he doesn't know who he should trust. These guys want to get Donnie back because they know that while he isn't free of them, they also know he could reach someone who could help him stand up to them. That is what scares them because it means their control over him would be broken, and other people who may be victims of these guys also will find the courage to stand up to them as well. We have Donnie and we know things were done to him...things none of us want to know. But we need to."

"Let's go join the others." Leo said as he restarted the car.

"Can we stop at Walgrin's first," April asked "There are some things we should pick up first."

* * *

"Alright Miwa, one more push." The Doctor encouraged.

"It's almost over, " Shini chimed in as she stood beside the bed holding her lovers hand. Karai panted heavily before she screamed as she felt her body feel like it was being ripped in half. Something large was pulled from her body before she slumped back against the bed pillows Her red dyed hair was limp with sweat and her eyes glazed with her exhaustion. There was a loud protesting cry from the creature that had just come out from between her thighs. Karai didn't want to look at it through, she feared what she would find.

"He's so cute," Shini responded. "Miwa, you must see."

"Congratulations, you have a healthy son." The doctor announced as he handed the squirming, squalling bundle to her. With reluctance Karai allowed the tiny being to be placed in her arms. The baby cried a couple more times before it settled into her arms and softly cued. The child had clearly asianic features like his mother. But there was a resemblance that pertained to the other half of his parentage as well.

"So he's the father." Shini asked as she softly stroked the baby's cheek. "What will you call this little angel?"

"Masaki." Karai smiled as she drifted into exhausted sleep.

"Masaki…" Shini said the name of the child as though trying it out. "I like it. Welcome to this world, little Masaki."

Unbeknownst to the two girls an orderly was paying very close attention to them. There was something very familiar about them, looking through the records he remembered seeing a photo about two missing kids several months ago. Soon enough he found it, a flyer with the head shots of Donatello and Karai with a notice saying that a reward would be offered if they were found. The girl who had just given birth...she was Karai. Picking up the phone, the orderly started to dial the number on he flyer. For a moment they hesitated, they asked themselves why these two teenagers would run away. But desperation fueled his actions as he finished dialing the number. He had mouths at home to feed and didn't make enough to support himself and his family. Perhaps the guardian of these two was merely concerned as to the location and wellbeing of their loved ones. An assumption he would come to regret.


	13. Chapter 13

Mikey was there waiting for them on the front porch of the farmhouse as Leo and April pulled into the drive. His normally cheerful face looked worried as his two friends got out of their car.

"Hey Mikey," April greeted the blond haired boy. She glad to see her friends again but the circumstances leading to their reunion was not what they had hoped.

"How's Donnie doing?" Leo asked with concern.

"Not good," Mikey commented worriedly, "He's still burning up and he's coughing up this green gunk. We have him on the couch in front of the fireplace to keep him warm. But he isn't really eating or anything and he isn't getting better."

"It's a good thing we stopped by Walgrins on our way here," April said as she held up the plastic bag she had taken from the car with her. "I have some things that can help somewhat.." Leo, however, was less conversational as he brushed passed Mikey and made his way into the house. Raph and Casey looked up from where they were sitting at the dining room table drinking coffee. Leo paid them no mind as hurriedly rushed to the living room and knelt by Donnie's bedside.

True to Mikey's words he was bundled on the couch. The blankets and quilts that were wrapped around him were soaked with sweat and periodically he would give a painful sounding wet cough. Despite the how hot the scrawnier boy was to the touch he shivered as though cold.

The dark-haired boy hadn't noticed April had joined him until her gentle hand was lightly stroking Donnie's hair like a mother soothing a feverish child.

"I'll get these blankets washed." She said calmly before she handed Leo a bottle of Ibuprofen. "Give him a couple of these; they should help with the fever. I would suggest a hot bath to help loosen the crud from his lungs but his temperature is too high for that."

"So a lukewarm one then…" Leo said as he tossed aside the sweaty blankets and pulled Donnie into his arms until he was cradled like a baby.

"There is a tub upstairs," April informed, "toss his clothing down to me as well; I'll make sure they are washed with the blankets." Leo nodded and understanding as he carefully carried Donatello upstairs. Once again stripping down to nothing but his shirt and briefs, before he stripped down Donnie's body of all his sweat-sodden clothing, Climbing into the tub with the sick boy he fiddled with the taps until water came out at a cool but still comfortably warm temperature. The light-brown haired boy whimpered and fussed but settled in Leo's arms as though sensing he was with someone he could trust. After that water was turned off the only sound in the tiled room was the sound drip of the faucet and the labored breathing that was coming from the ill boy's chest.

"D," Leo whispered to the sick boy. "I don't want secrets between us, but I have something I don't know how to tell you. This is something I found out recently and I have a hard time accepting it myself, but I'm worried you will hate me because of it." Donatello made no physical response other than a wet sounding cough that rattled deep in his chest as he continued to curl close to Leo in a state of semi-consciousness.

"I've love you, D." Leo continued to whisper gently cleansed away the sweat from other boys body. "The last thing I want is to hurt you or see you hurt again. If you don't want to be with me, I understand."

Once again as Donnie's temperature cooled thanks to the bathwater the dark haired boy continued to sit cradling the other boy against him as the water drained from the tub. Donnie hadn't regained any semblance of consciousness like he had the last time they had bathed together which only went to show how weak the illness had made him.

When he felt the water had completely drained from the tub, Leo toweled off as best as he could before opening the door. The blue-eyed boy was completely kicking himself for not thinking to bring up another set of clothes for himself. Fortunately, Mikey seemed to have thought of that as he stood beside the door to one of the bedrooms.

"April told me to tell you that this one is yours," Mikey said as he held up a shirt and a dry pair of boxer shorts for him to put on, as well as a spare set of clothing for Donnie.

"Thanks, Mikey," Leo said. "Could you do me a favor and get a cup of water for me."

"Sure thing," Mikey answered before he bounded downstairs. Leo returned to the bathroom and dressed himself before pulling the other boy's limp body from the tub and began to towel him off.

"Le…o" Donnie said groggily as he felt a sweatshirt pulled over his head.

"Yeah, it's me," Leo said calmly as he continued to dress the other boy. "I have something I need you to take right now; it will help with your fever…"

"But…" Donnie said, "It…it can't…"

"It's a long story," Leo sighed "And hearing it would only cause you unneeded distress."

"Did," Donnie asked as his illness fogged brain tried to make the connection as to why the older boy would be at the farmhouse so soon. The conclusions he was coming too only make him feel his throat tighten with anxiousness. "Did they…"

"Don't worry about that right now, D," Leo insisted. "Just focus on getting better..." There was a knock on the door before it was opened by Mikey.

"Here's the water you wanted, Leo," the blond-haired boy said. "Oh, and everyone is downstairs waiting."

"Be right there…" Leo said as he gratefully took the mug of water from the other boy. Placing it down on the floor he pulled a small bottle from his pants pocket. Opening it he shook two small reddish pills into his hand.

"Here," Leo said as he crouched to where Donnie was seated on the floor of the bathroom. "These will help reduce your fever." The brown-haired boy eyed the pills dubiously but sighed as he took them from Leo and swallowed them. He chased them down with the cup of cool water held to his lips by the other boy.

"Okay, let's get downstairs," Leo said as he hoisted Donnie to his feet. The reluctance in Leo's voice didn't go unnoticed by the two of them. "I…I have something I learned recently…

"Okay?" Donnie said his voice becoming somewhat raspy with the illness that was still infecting his lungs. The two of them made their way downstairs with Leo heavily supporting Donnie. April and Mikey were holding a thick quilt which they wrapped around the brown haired boy as they settled him on the couch once more. All focus was on Leonardo as he focused on what he was going to say.

"Hey guys," Leo said, "as you know April and I are here because the guy who is after Donnie was at the school." Donnie visibly shuddered at this admission. It looked as though he felt he had lost the last safe haven he had.

"However," Leo continued knowing what he said next would affect everything. It would affect his standing with his friends, but it was Donnie's reaction to this that he was most worried about. "I was told something a few days ago…it's something that disturbs me and I honestly wish to god that this wasn't so. What I have to say is something I don't wish to repeat in my lifetime, so anything I say in this moment stays in this moment." Everyone nodded in understanding allowing the space for Leo to gather his thoughts.

"The man who is after Donnie is known as Saki Oroku," Leo explained "he also goes by the pimp name 'The Shredder'." Casey gave an amused snort at the sobriquet which earned him a nudge in the ribs by Raph. "Over 15 years ago, my mother Tang Shen had been one of his victims. She had been brought over to America from Japan with his help. She had a life here in America, but always felt watched as though one wrong move would enrage the man who brought her to this country. One of her freedoms was able to take English classes at a local adult school, this is how she met Yoshi Hamato. The two of them quickly became friends in their class and even more than that. Tang Shen more than likely gravitated to him because he was kind to her. She resisted him numerous times, telling him to stay away from her for his own safety. That her husband was suspicious of any man who came near her, that only made Yoshi want to be closer to her. He knew whoever her husband was he was not a loving person, but a controlling one. In a matter of months, the two of them fell in love and began to hold a relationship in secret. The adult school was the only place where Oroku's eyes couldn't be on her. But Tang Shen always feared what would happen if her husband found out.

When she learned she was pregnant she begged Yoshi to end their relationship for the sake of the child she carried. He agreed since the little ones life was more important the three hours they had twice a week, some months after Tang Shen gave birth to a child…a girl. "

"Karai…" Donnie croaked. "The girl was named Karai." Leo paused momentarily hearing the sound of his half-sisters name being invoked by the brown-boy. There was so many questions he wanted to ask, and others he was afraid to ask.

"If Oroku suspected the child to be a product of Tang Shen's trysts with Yoshi," Leo continued. "He didn't show it except he would be more forceful when he took her at night." There were many times, Tang Shen would show up to the ESL class with makeup on to cover up any large bruises or not show up at all. When she found she was with child again, she wasn't overjoyed with it. Her daughter was Yoshi's child and conceived in love, and it would not be long before she knew her husband would groom her child to be the same thing her mother was. But this other child was the offspring of a man she didn't love. She didn't want to kill the child to because it was not responsible for how it was conceived. But yet she prayed for miscarriages, as the months passes she became more fearful of what sort of monster her husband would make the child into. These fears she also conveyed to Yoshi as well, fortunately, the two of them were able to talk to a sympathetic nurse that was helping with Tang Shen's delivery. At great risk to her career, she agreed to write up a report that said the newborn died of SIDS in the nursery, in reality, the infant was handed to Yoshi Hamato to raise in secret."

"Whoa, whoa…" Raph interjected, "are you saying that…your…."

"That's right Raph," Leo sighed "I am biologically the son of the Shredder." The silence in the room was defining.

* * *

 **Big hug and thank you to everyone who has been reading this fic and enjoying it. I know these past few chapters have been rather short, but more is coming soon. I appreciate anyone taking the time to read, favorite, and review this fic. While you are waiting for the next chapter, please enjoy some of the other fics I have written.**


	14. Chapter 14

The silence felt like it was going on for an eternity. Leonardo didn't look at any of his companions; he honestly didn't know what he was expecting when he decided to tell his companions this piece of news. Yes, he had wanted to explain what Yoshi had told him to someone he knew, someone he could trust. He had never thought about how his companions would react to this.

He didn't want his friends to dismiss him and treat him like he was a monster because he had an unfortunate relation to one. And Donnie…how was this news affecting him. He had wanted Donnie to hear this because he didn't want to keep secrets from him. Yet, he had done this knowing the Shredder was an anathema in the brown haired boy's existence. Donatello had spent weeks, months, possibly years being tormented by this sick bastard who only took pleasure in domination and control over whoever he wished. In all honesty if he could purge Oroku's DNA from his veins at that moment he would have.

"But he only sired you," April stated as someone finally spoke up. "Yoshi was the man who raised you and by all rights he is more of a father to you then the Shredder ever was or deserved to be."

"Yeah dude," Mikey said "it doesn't matter who you are related to. A true family is made up of those who love you and care for you."

"Mikey's right," April agreed "In many ways we have been a family ever since we have met and became friends. Why should that change now?"

"Because…" Leo sighed as his eyes finally turned to Donnie who had mostly been silent throughout this exchange. "We have someone who has been hurt by the monster I share blood with. I understand who this man is, I haven't been hurt by him in the same way you have, D. But he has hurt me too…and if I had been raised by him I likely would have suffered the same fate you have….and worse…I would have been raised to follow his sick minded thinking."

"What about your mom?" Raph asked. "What happened to her…?"

"She was killed…" Donnie finally spoke up as he shook his head as though trying to process all this news. "It's something Karai told me one time. She had said she had been seven years old when he had started grooming her. Her mother had caught sight of him…teaching her…" Donnie hesitated not wanting to say because of how casual it would sound. To give context he instead pointed to his mouth and then towards his crotch. The only person in the room who didn't understand the meaning was Mikey, but even he understood that was being done was not something that typically done to girls under the age of ten.

"That's…" Casey growled with disgust. "That's messed up, yo."

"Knowing worse would happen…" Donnie continued "She immediately told her secret lover that her husband would be out of town in two nights. He had agreed to drive her away from the hell house himself, but she insisted they meet somewhere more inconspicuous. A coffee shop, since she knew that her husband's friends would be left to keep an eye on her she suggested that she could go to a movie with Karai. She would then create a ruse to distract them such as saying she was taking Karai to the toilets or she wanted to get some snacks for the movie. When they were distracted she would slip out of the theater and to the nearest coffee shop to meet him. Unfortunately, the Shredder had found her secret phone and read her text messages. He let things play out the way Tang Shen had planned, however once they were in the car. Oroku appeared to them and ordered the mother and child into the house. She didn't tell me what happened to Tang Shen except that it was inhuman and Karai was forced to watch as her mother suffered and died under then hands of her vindictive husband. After that he called his late wife's lover to let him know that she was dead and his bastard daughter would suffer the same fate if he tried to save her."

There was a stunned silence in the room after this admission. Though Leo's anger smoldered deeper beneath the surface then it did for anyone else in the room. Anger and rage over what this monster had done to his mother, his sister…to Donnie. He prayed that if he ever did meet Oroku face to face, he would make sure that he knew it was his own flesh and blood that would be his down fall.

"I think that's enough of this for now." April said, as she fought back overwhelming emotions that threatened to consume her. "Mikey, why don't you help me make some dinner. Raph, Casey, please help set the table."

Leo noticed that April didn't involve him in any of this. Instead he sat down in one of the vacated arm chairs as Donnie continued to remain seated on the couch.

"Why did you want me to know all this?" Donnie asked his voice hardly above a ragged whisper.

"Don't talk right now." Leo sighed as he turned his attention to getting a fire started. Evening was starting to fall and a chill was starting to set in. He knew what he had explained would be stressful to the other boy, but it couldn't be helped.

"If you feel I'm a key to where Karai is…" Donnie said though there was bitterness in his tone. "She and I parted ways the day we escaped. I have no idea where she is but I hope it's as far away as possible."

"I hope she is safe from the Shredder as well." Leo said knowing that Donnie was not going to let this go. "The reason I told you this is because I don't want to keep secrets from you. D, I love you…I don't want to hurt you." Unfortunately, this admission was not met with welcomed.

"Love me?!" Donnie nearly shouted, it was clear he was becoming agitated by the minute. "If you knew anything about me at all, you wouldn't want anything to do with me. I'm a whore, Leo! I've been with more people then you can possibly know."

"Not by choice," Leo protested. "You had no say in any of that…"

"If I'm with you I'll just be a whore for you!" Donnie continued to say in distress. "I'm not worth any of this, I'm spoiled. I don't know how you can even stand to be near me. No one could honestly love me; I don't even remember what love even is anymore. I'm worth….nothing…."

"Donnie!" Leo cried out as the brown haired boy broke into a violent fit of chest rattling coughs.

"What happened?" Raph asked he came into the living room. Leo was standing over the coughing boy, one hand worriedly petting the boy's mouse brown locks.

"I shouldn't have said anything." Leo sighed anxiously as he gathered Donnie into his arms as the boy's coughs ceased. He could feel his flesh burn where his body came in contact with Donnie's feverish form. Donatello went ridged in response, but he was too drained by his illness to put up much protest. "I should have known all this would stress him out."

"Don't say such things, Leo," Raph growled "you did nothing wrong! The only person who did wrong is the Shredder. He is the one that needs to be treated like an animal. Its better you told us all this now, rather than having us discover this news later and find out you already knew about all this."

"But Donnie," Leo sighed despondently as he cradled the brown haired boy against his chest. His hands stroking slow, comforting circles into Donnie's back. The other boy had started to relax as he settled against the dark haired boy's body. "I don't even want to think about what sort of hell he's been through at the hands of that man, and now the even the school isn't a refuge for him anymore."

"So then, what's the plan?" Raph asked. "We got Donnie out of the city before The Shredder could get him. That's good, but what's next step. We can't stay here forever, I hate to break it too ya I rather not have Casey lose our apartment because of this. While we don't have to worry about rent here, there are still essentials we do need to pay for and that takes money we don't have."

"I was thinking that maybe we move to the next state over, such as Massachusetts or Vermont, or New Jersey if we have to." Leo sighed; even as he said it he felt the whole thing felt unrealistic. "It would be difficult for a time as we start our lives over. We may need to live in the van for a while. All of us could apply for a job training program and make our way in the job world."

"Wait!" Raph said "Back it up…So your plan is that we all just keep running? Just abandon everything, uproot our lives, cancel our dreams, and just keep running? Yeah…I think you need do some more thinking there chief."

"No..." Donnie added his opinions to the conversation. "you have lives and families…don't throw them away for my sake. I can't let you do that, I'm not worth it!'

"I'm gonna have to partially agree with Don on this one." Raph explained. "We can't throw away our lives just for him. Besides packing up and running to Florida or wherever is not going to do him any favors. Donnie here needs to be someplace where he can stay calm and rest for as long as he needs it. While in the meantime the Shredder is still out their looking for him, and is probably being a rough trick to some other kid like Donnie."

"Then what can we do?" Leo asked "What should we do?"

"Well everything is up to Don now, isn't it?" Raph stated as he propped his elbows on the back of the couch regarding the two boys. "You've revealed that you are the Shredder's son and one he doesn't know about…yet. Let's consider our options, first we could leave New York and go into hiding here or where ever. All we would have to do is wait roughly three to six decades for the sick bastard to die of natural causes.

But you have a half-sister out there, don't you. Yes, Karai is your maternal half-sister, yet how do you know you don't have other half-siblings out there who are also products of the Shredder's perverse loins. Any of them could be skewed to that assholes way of thinking and all too willing to carry his legacy. So even if he dies, the cycle doesn't stop.

Second option we create new identities for ourselves, maybe take a page from Mikey's imagination and say you, me, Mikey, and Donnie are all brothers.

However the catch is in order to do that. We can dye our hair and put in contacts like you do so we all appear the same. But then we would have to have fake information created for each of us to prove we are related. Such as forged birth certificates, fake ids and that also takes money we do not have. I think you see the trend I'm going with here...and even if we could get the false identities, there is no way you can convince anyone we are related. I mean look at us…"

"We can say I was the true born child, and the rest of you were adopted." Leo suggested "Or maybe you guys were all siblings and I was adopted. People would have to believe that."

"Adopted by whom and where?" Raph demanded. "There are records kept about such things, once again you aren't thinking things through. You think that just because you like Captain Ryan that you think you can get away with everything like he does. Unfortunately things like that don't work in reality. Which brings us to the third option…we expose this monster for who he is and end the cycle he has created once and for all."


End file.
